The Hunger Games
by Andrea Shetland
Summary: It has been over twenty five years since New Ozai society overthrew the four nations and established a new world order. Along with their new order they created The Hunger Games. A trial by combat consisting of two tributes of the twelve districts. Korra, a young career tribute has finally grown enough to volunteer for her own games. The hard part is getting out alive.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N) Ohhhh has this been done before. I don't know. Not really caring right now. _Hunger Games_! The rest of the details don't matter! (Hopefully though, this will be a new twist on the thing since I've never read any of the other avatar hunger games deals.

_It happens every single year. One boy and one girl from each of the districts of the four nations compete for their lives in The Hunger Games. It has been over twenty-five years since they began. The districts have decided a new way to try to win more of the games: Carrier tributes. In district four a young woman named Korra finally volunteers for the Hunger Games. She has only one drive, to be able to come home again. _

As you expected. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Avatar: Legend of Korra. All the characters that I use belong to whoever made them. I also don't own The Hunger Games. While none of the characters are in this story the basis for the story belongs to Suzanne Collins.

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Chapter 1

The people were lined up. Every shoulder touched. Under her dress her dark skin burned in the heat. The sun always seemed to be unforgiving. Especially today. It took all of her strength not to wipe the sweat that formed at her brow.

Around her was only silence as the people waited. Children really, just like her, not a single one over eighteen. Some threw glances at their siblings in fear. Many looked at her with worry. She lifted her chin. This was not the time to seem afraid.

She heard a name called. Had so much of the ceremony passed already? She needed to pay more attention.

A different gaze called it away again. Green eyes that glinted in the sunlight. She looked away. She couldn't face those eyes she would betray.

A boy was dragged from the gathered crowd. He could not have been more than thirteen years old. He did not fight but he trembled when he was brought on stage. The two locked eyes, this boy she barely knew, and she nodded as though it would give him confidence.

She watched the girl who had been brought up next. She stood bravely, fearlessly almost. She was eighteen years old. This would be her last reaping. And she would live. She knew the next words would be the ones that saved her life.

"I volunteer as tribute!" She shouted when the time came. There was little surprise. Very few had been kept from the knowledge. Among those few were the green eyed girl she refused to look at.

"It looks like our volunteer tribute this year is Korra!" Kozan, district 4's escort announced. Korra took her place and the other female tribute disappeared back into the crowd. Korra raised a welcoming hand at the crowd. She even smiled. The sort of bright smile that showed her teeth.

The people actually clapped for her. It was slow and weak, but it is the only applause Korra ever heard. It was the least that they can offer the girl who would be risking her life for her district. Only the family of the boy didnt join in. They knew that he wouldn't be returning.

Korra was led away by the peacekeepers then and into the Justice Building. The escort was required but not necessary. Korra had no plans to run away. She was placed in a nicely decorated room and told to wait. Korra sat on the long couch with her hands folded behind her head. When her eyes closed she hated that the first thought was how to eliminate that boy from the competition.

Korra was what the districts called a career tribute. She had trained all her life how to fight, how to kill, how to survive. Of course there was always a chance that there would be a better, stronger tribute. Korra refused to think about it. For now all that mattered was survival.

The door opened and Korra sat up with a start. The first person to come and say goodby was there. She was taller than Korra. Her hair was soft ebony that spirits would envy. Her dress was beautiful as well, a slimming deep red adorned with gold and sparkling diamonds. Her face was all that tainted this perfect image. Lines of anger creased her face and her eyes were a blaze of fury. Korra all but welcomed the slap to her face when it came.

"How could you?" She cried,

"Asami you know I had to at some point."

"You could have waited one more year."

"There wasn't another career ready. I am." She rose only to put her hands on Asami's slender shoulders and guide her to a seat. Korra knelt in front of her holding her hands. No matter what Korra tried hers would always be rougher than asami's delicate fingers. "Everything will be alright. All I have to do is win."

"That just happens to be the _exact_ strategy of everyone else. And they'll kill you to get it." Korra wiped the single tear that fell down her cheek with a thumb.

"Don't think like that." Korra told her, "I need you to trust me."

Asami shook her head. Korra couldn't stand seeing her girlfriend this way. Asami had always been the stronger one, at least when it came to the more emotional issues. She was the one to comfort Korra when the dreams became too real. It took almost too long for her to recompose herself just to manage to make a single nod painted with a smile that was obviously fake.

All that work fell apart when the peacekeepers came to take Asami away. She faintly struggled wanting just one more moment with her girlfriend. Korra heard Asami call one last thing to her. She said she loved her. The very first time Korra heard those words. The door was shut in the next instant. Korra was left alone again, her heard torn. Did she want to say those words to her? Yes, she decided, she did. It was entirely possible she would never have that chance.

Korra paced the room until the door opened again. Her parents had come to see her like she expected. Senna had a nervousness to her Korra could feel when mother and daughter embraced. Tonraq placed a heavy hand on his daughter. Firm and strong like him.

Tonraq had volunteered for his own hunger games over twenty years ago. He had been waiting for his own daughter to be entered into the games ever since she was a child. He had been as much of a mentor as a father since she learned how to fight. The capitol would not allow a family member as a mentor during the games though so he would be left behind here.

"You'll do fine." Tonraq told her. Her mother shed a few fearful tears but wiped them away, "You remember what to do, everything I taught you."

"As if you would ever let me forget."

"And your sponsors?"

"There will be plenty of people I could convince once I'm there." Korra sighed, "but for now make sure Asami doesn't buy me anything until the final six." Tonraq nodded and finally sat. Finally Korra managed to ask the question she had been wanting to ask since she knew she was going to volunteer. "What about my bending?"

"You won't know about that until the other tributes are gathered." Bending was a difficult thing to allow in the Hunger Games. If only one tribute happened to be a bender his advantage over the others were astronomical, for obvious reasons. That never makes much of a show. To keep things fresh bending sometimes wasn't allowed at all. The decision was based on how many benders happened to be collected. "Just be sure that you remember that you are only a waterbender here."

"But what if-"

"No. The gamemakers will make sure that you do not come out of that arena alive. You are my daughter, you are Korra, you are a waterbender, and a very powerful one at that. No matter what happens you can let no one know that you are the avatar."

Korra only nodded. She knew the truth of what he said. The Hunger Games themselves took place in the Capitol deep in the heart of the Fire Nation. Almost fifty years ago what began as an anti-Zuko organization grew into what eventually became a ruling power. They grew, not only claiming the Fire Nation, but the entire world as well. To establish this as a new world order states and countries were torn down and geography was sorted into districts, each with a main task. When the first signs of rebellion came the first Hunger Games began. Only the Capitol would be spared from them.

The previous avatar, an airbender named Aang, did not support the games. He had stood against the New Ozai society since its very beginning. These games were the final straw that turned the peaceful nomad into an avatar capable of the hottest fires of rage. There was a lot of battles, a lot of sacrifices, a lot of pointless deaths. Seventeen years ago Aang finally lost the war and his life along with it.

Tonraq remembered the scrutiny that the waterbenders in district four had to deal with. Every newborn child was hunted and analyzed. Babies were taken from their homes on suspicion of being the avatar, some never to return. In places there were stories of mothers who tried to escape the peacekeepers by hiding in the wilderness. Most would be found much later after the cold would become too much for them.

Tonraq was careful with Korra. She was capable of bending the other elements since she was a toddler. He taught her to suppress those feelings and instincts. Korra had taken to practicing in secret on her own. Faceless voices in her heart seemed to be the only teachers she needed. Not a single member of her tribe knew her true identity.

"I'll be alright dad," Korra promised. The door opened as peacekeepers told them their time was up. They held each other one last time before they were gone and the door shut again.

Korra saw many more families that day. The people of district four knew she was a career and were proud of her for it. Winning the games in this district was the highest honor, especially among the men of the tribe. They were the true warriors who wore their titles more proudly then the men in the Fire Nation that once called themselves Dragon. On the reverse side the shame of losing the games was a strain of all the family left behind. Siblings of fallen tributes were shunned and, in some cases, considered unfit for marriage.

The people wished her luck and gave her little trinkets. A few asked her to wear their little crafts to the Capitol. Being only allowed to bring one Korra would choose only after they all were gathered. She ended up choosing a small necklace that hung a delicately carved tear shaped sapphire. The stone was encircled with small diamonds that glittered in the sunlight. The boy that had given it to her was young, too young to even had been entered into the games. He seemed all too nervous as he gave it to her saying "She forgot to give this to you," Then disappeared out the door. Korra fitted it around her neck smiling as the stone rested perfectly in the hollow of her neck.

At last the goodbys were over and she stepped into the brightness of the day. The cameras were all around Korra as she waved and smiled to the gathered people. They were cheering and the praise was all for her. Korra had so many memories of being on the other side of the crowds, watching the tributes go. They did just like she did, maybe calling out the names of loved ones somewhere out there. Sometimes Korra hadn't wanted to clap but her father had made her.

Beside her the boy seemed small and insignificant. It was more than obvious that he had been crying. He kept his head low and his shoulders hunched. Maybe he thought if he made himself the shape of a rock then he would become one. The cameras only spent a moment on him. He wasn't going to be an interesting find for the capitol at all.

Kozan raised a few words to the cameras and they boarded the boat that would take them to the capitol.

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(A/N) Very short chapter. I figure introductions to characters we mostly already know is a little pointless. Give a review if you can and I'll love you forever.


	2. Chapter 2

Was hunger games day on a Tuesday? I feel like hunger games day was on a Tuesday. I don't remember. It doesn't matter. _Next Chapter_. Oh. And there were some very minor things added to the end of chapter 1 yesterday. They were supposed to be there the first time but somewhere between Microsoft Word and here it got lost. Just thought I'd mention it.. Now No more talking.

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Chapter 2

The boy was far more interested in the interior of the boat than Korra was. Decorated chairs and patterned tablecloths were in every room of the Sato mansion. Korra even looked much more like she belonged in the higher class environment with the dress she was wearing. Asami had insisted she dress like a proper woman at least at the reapings. She didn't want her girlfriend looking like a cavewoman in front of all the Capitol's cameras.

A dinner was served and Korra was more than happy to gorge herself on everything they brought. They had prepared everything from stews to cakes and chocolates. The boy had filled his own plate with a pile of every distinguishable candy and pastry there. He filled what room was left on his plate with buttered breads.

On the other side of the table Kozan watched with almost humor on his young face. The district four escort was a proud and handsome young man with just the faintest bit of facial hair along his jawline. Korra had always hated the look. A man's face should be bare or have a proper beard. She hated more that he insisted on wearing suits that combined both the red colors of the Capitol and the blue and silver of district four.

On either side of him two other men filled themselves in silence. Korra did not ask their names only because she knew them well. The first was Koyak, a behemoth of a man with a single long braid that ended at his hips. He insisted on never cutting the braid when he was entered in his own games though it had nearly been his downfall. Now he wore it as a reminder and a trademark. The second, Ilaq, was much smaller and more delicate with his food. He was a close friend of her father's and won the Hunger Games the year before Tonraq did. The two were chosen from the pool of tributes of district four to become their mentors. It was considered unfair to have all of the previous winners become mentors considering smaller districts usually only had one and District four had over a dozen.

A small television set displayed the other districts and their tributes. Korra watched each one trying to have the same mindset of her father. Korra had always looked at it as little more than a childish game. She and Asami had spent a few times laughing at a tribute's outfit or that they pronounced a word wrong. Tonraq had looked at it more analytically, like a pai sho board as he assembled each of his pieces.

District one and two presented their carriers like they always did. The Fire Nation based district one had a habit of sending two carriers every year. They considered their chances to be higher. The capitol always welcomed it because it often led to the two carriers being the final two contestants. Something about watching two people who know each other very well fight to the death always sparked interest in the games.

The young boy and girl from district seven worried Korra a little. The lumber district always gave tributes with powerful shoulders and experience with an ax. This year proved to be no different. The girl from districts nine and eleven seemed to not even be a threat at all and Korra dismissed them completely.

The Capital announcers brought the program to a recap at the very end, showcasing their favorite bits. Korra was glad to be able to see district five since the reaping had happened while she was saying her goodbyes to her family.

When their escort called the name of their tribute he was met with fire. Peacekeepers began to bring a heavyset boy from the crowd and the firebender turned on them. The bender was fast and fire seemed to flow effortlessly from him. The announcers had a bit of a laugh as the boy was restrained. Only then did he seem to remember that he could volunteer. He did. Several times. Shouting as though the people wouldn't hear him. The peacekeepers didn't even try to hold him as he made his way onto the stage, panting the words even after. He was a strange boy, more handsome than Kozan for sure with deep amber eyes. They called the tribute Mako

Korra switched off the television when they were done. She was a bit upset that the Capitol didn't spend more time focusing on her. They chatted a little bit on the necklace she was wearing, but there was little more than that for them to look at. That boy had robbed her of her screen time, and maybe even a few sponsors in the process.

Korra realized a question had been asked by the mentors while she had been watching the television. She liked that they didn't press for her attention. They only watched until she realized they were still in the room with her.

"I said, "Ilaq repeated, "We can train the both of you together or separate."

"I was thinking we could work together." The boy suggested,

"Separate." Korra voted with a raised fork speared through a lychee nut. She would make it a point to not do so much as ask this boy's name. She wanted no tie to him. Not even the smallest kind.

The mentors exchange glances and nod. Kozan takes hold of the conversation. "I'm sure the both of you are wondering what happens next?"

"At the capitol we'll clean up for the parade. Then they start us on training for a few days, let the sponsors get a good look at us. Give us a little interview time. When the bets are in the games start." Kozan looked at her with an irritated look in his eyes. "Is that not right?"

"Well, yes." He sighed, "Your father was a tribute once wasn't he? I should have expected as much."

"Korra, it looks like you're about done with your dinner." Ilaq told her. Korra looked down at her plate. Half a quail pheasant still remained smothered in gravy. "I think it's time you head to your quarters.

"I'm not leaving. You guys are supposed to help me."

"I don't think you need to bother with this lecture since you already know so much." He waved her away like a child who had walked into a grown up conversation. When it was clear they weren't going to say anything more with her there she stormed out in a huff. She didn't even take her quail pheasant with her as she made her way into her room.

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Aaaaaand we have a picture. Credit goes to Baelor and their tumblr page


	3. Chapter 3

Happy Hunger Games Tuesday everybody! I hope you all are enjoying the story so far!

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Chapter 3

Her room was small and quiet. She could not hear the people talking or the waves just outside her window. She knew she should change into night clothes, there was a closet and dresser full of outfits next to her, but she refused. Asami had spent so long picking out this dress for her. Korra wanted to wear it for as long as she could still smell her perfume. She let the scent engulf her as she pushed herself under the furs on the bed.

Korra bunched the pillow under her head. She wanted to cry. If there was a time for it to happen it was now. The thought of doing it though was almost painful to consider. Tears were a weakness water tribe warriors couldn't afford. That was what she was now, even if she was a woman. No one should be allowed to see her in pain.

Her thoughts were all for Asami when the first tear finally fell. What was she doing now? Korra expected she caught at least the recaps that would air at sunset. Mr. Sato was wealthy, never needing to take a tessare and knowing volunteers would spare his daughter from the games. With the fear of losing his child removed he enjoyed the games with the same enthusiasm of a capitalist. What did she do when she saw Korra's face? Was Korra's smile for the cameras enough to keep her fears at bay? Was she proud of the necklace Korra wore for her? Korra's fingertips faintly touched the blue stone.

Korra envisioned an embrace. Asami's arms were around her. Korra's rested at her waist. They had kissed like this before but this one felt almost primal. Like she needed this touch. She could almost taste salt. Were they Asami's tears or her own?

Korra woke to the feeling of water on her face.

She looked up to see Kozan standing over her with a wet rag above her head. Every few seconds it dripped with stinking seawater. "Get up or you'll miss breakfast." The escort demanded and left the room to let her change.

Korra now regretted sleeping in the dress. It was lined with deep wrinkles that she would never have the chance to iron out. That would be something for Asami to fuss about. Korra at least had the decency to put it on a hanger when she slipped out of it.

Korra spent a lot of time putting together an outfit. The selection was pretty varied but Korra was careful to focus on the fashion details Asami had told her over and over. She finally chose a sky blue and silver dress before removing the wolf's tail on the back of her head. Asami had always told her she looked beautiful with her hair down. She kept the two tails on the side of her face though.

"Well someone's got themselves all dolled up," Koyak jeered when he saw her. Unless Asami forced her Korra was not the type to dress up.

"It doesn't matter. The prep team will do away with it once we're at the station." Kozan reminded her.

"People will still see me right? First impressions and all?" Korra took a long look at the breakfast table as she sat down. The quail pheasant she had left at the table from the night before was gone. She wondered what happened to it. Probably tossed in the water behind them for the tiger sharks. "Where's the kid?"

"Narak's still sleeping." Korra winced. Great. Now she knew his name. She still refused to acknowledge it. "It'll be a few more hours till we're at the capitol. Eat up."

Korra didn't see a need to be told more than once. She sipped at a cup of coffee. She found the drink horribly bitter and despised it but Asami seemed to live off of it. There were cereals and oatmeals and toasts. Kozan had taken some kind of bread topped with egg and covered with a golden yellow sauce. Korra took an omelet for herself stuffed with seared meat, peppers, and onions.

She wanted to eat like Koyak. He had no bottom to his stomach. The oats were seasoned so heavily with brown sugar and honey they had a sickly muddy shade to them. His plate was piled with mangos and pineapples coated with glistening sugar.

The kid came down late to breakfast. His face was puffy and his eyes red from crying. His hair had not even been brushed. He had to be convinced to eat his food.

Pathetic little boy. He had already given up. He wasn't wrong, no one thought he stood a chance at winning. He could have at least attempted to have a little fight in him. He was almost sad to even watch.

"So, we'll pick up what we didn't finish yesterday." Koyak started, "How do you want to handle your training."

"Together," The boy immediately agreed.

"Does it really matter?" Korra didn't want to have the same little fight as the day before.

"It does if you know a waterbending move you don't want him to see." Ilaq reminded her.

That method had worked several years ago for the district four tribute. His name was Tarlok. He was bright, charismatic, and manipulative when it came to other tributes. Even the other district four tribute, the career volunteer of that year, fell victim to his tricks. It wasn't until the final six tributes that he revealed that not only could he bloodbend, but that he could do it outside of the full moon. Victory at that point was inevitable for him. Now he lived in Victor's Village only two doors away from Korra's own home. His abilities made Korra both curious and nervous.

"Separate." Korra decided then.

"Why?" The kid whined

Korra shrugged, "No reason not to."

"Des it even matter to you?" He almost cried.

"It might."

"Well to me it does. I need all the training I can get. You're probably going to kill me anyway so what."

"If that's your attitude then yeah I will." She snapped, "I wasn't going to because I was being nice."

"Then someone else would." Now he was crying. Korra wondered how he was ever going to call himself a man if the games didn't pick him off. He would at least need to act stronger in front of the cameras at least, for his family's sake. No one wants to be related to a coward of the games.

"We'll do the training together," Ilaq decided. Before Korra could object again he raised a hand. "If you want to separate later then you still can." Korra crossed her arms and sat back. How long was this boy going to hold her back?

The boat's horn sounded drawing attention to the window. Korra could see the first signs of land. The capitol was close.

"Now when we make port. . . "Korra paid less attention to the mentor and more attention to her breakfast. She knew the process. Tonraq had made sure of it. Cleaning, tribute parade, training, evaluation, interview, and then the games. It was the same progress every year.

Beside her the boy was listening with half hearted interest. Almost as though the little argument had consumed all of his strength.

Korra's head began to fill with questions. None about what would happen but what it will be like. A lifetime of planning was focused on the next few weeks. Weeks that started just this afternoon. It was a surreal feeling Korra couldn't describe.

A shadow passed over the boat as she finished her first omelet. The statue of Fire Lord Azulon blocked the sun. Korra was amazed it stood after so many years. When New Ozai Society took power they went through the world destroying ancient buildings and artifacts that attributed to the four nations as they created the districts. Not even the Air Nomad temples remained despite their lack of inhabitants. Even a lot of the old water tribe snow forts built during the war had been demolished. But a statue? That can stay.

With another blaring horn the ship made port beside a crowd of spectators. They were well dressed, all of them, and even the men wore make up. She could almost feel the boy next to her cringe at the sight. A man should never cover his face except for the sake of battle. There was no denying the sheer energy of the crowd that jumped and wave. They were cheering the name of the career tribute they didn't even know. When Korra stepped from the boat and raised an arm they went wild.

Korra could not even help but smile. It wasn't the same smile she had been using. The one that was perfect, rehearsed and practiced. It was bright and hopeful. They were cheering for _her_. It's hard not to look happy in front of hundreds of people that love you.

The two water tribe tributes were led to a satomobile by their escort. All the while the people were calling for attention. Korra tried to meet them all, to smile for every picture. Every camera flash blinded her. When she was told to leave she only did so after telling the crowd goodbye.

The people were saddened to see her go. Their attention quickly turned back to the dock where another tribute boat was arriving. The door opened but Korra could not see the people who emerged. She knew the ships came in order by district. It would be the boy from district five. Mako right? The crowd was almost as excited to see him. Almost.

Korra took her time trying to enjoy the view of the capitol. She had always seen it in pictures and in movers of previous hunger games. But never up close like this. The buildings were taller than trees and made of hard steel. Thanks to high winds and winter storms buildings in district four rarely reached three stories. Here she felt small against them. She wondered if any of them touched the clouds and then thought the idea was silly.

There was a sort of unjustified pride that came from just looking at the size and magnitude of the city. Every moment, every year seemed to lead to this moment. To give her this view. Even as the satomobile passed people in the streets they would wave to her and she would wave back. In the water tribe courtesy was earned. And what would she do to deserve this, to earn it? Win.

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I feel like my chapters are kind of short? Are they good short do you think?


	4. Chapter 4

Happy Hunger Games Tuesday everyone!

Thank you Guest aka first person to get me a review! Super excited about it because I've never gotten a review here before. And yes. I plan to update with haste. A little early in the morning but I'm fine with it. anyway enough of me. _Hunger Games!_

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Chapter 4

Korra and her group were greeted almost immediately by their prep team. A small group of over excited girls that looked younger than Korra was. Their faces were strange to her painted in odd, clashing colors. One had skin spotted like a snow leopard. Korra doubted it was to honor the spirit of the hunt.

They fussed over her hair as they stripped her of her clothes. Korra shivered in nervousness. She had not even been naked in front of Asami yet. It felt strange letting these other girls touch her even if it was just for the sake of cleaning. She closed her eyes knowing better than to fight. She told herself this would be the hardest part of the games and grit her teeth.

They scrubbed every inch of her dark skin with thick streams of bubbles that smelled like lavender and lilac. She wished it was honeysuckle, the scent her mother often wore. The water they rinced her with was warm and soothing. When they sat her down Korra could almost relax as they turned their attention to her hair. They combed it through with the same rhythmic strokes her mother had used the day of the reaping.

They wouldn't let her put it up. Korra had expected that. Not even with the wolf tails on the side of her face. They let if flow over her shoulders in a cascade of chocolate. They decorated it with silver and pale blue beads that reflected the light like stars.

When Korra looked at her reflection bare in the mirror she struggled to recognize herself. None of Asami's dress up days could compare to this. Her skin was bare even in the most intimate of places. Over all of it she could not see even a single flaw. Where were her scars? They had lined her wrists and calves and back.

A warriors mark told of all the battles she had endured. She was a woman, yes, and her scars had come from brutal training that would one day lead to the games. They were a symbol of the struggle, a sign of respect. When a warrior of the water tribe went without a shirt it isn't just about the muscle. It's about the scars. A declaration that cries out 'look what I have faced, look what I fought. See what I _survived_.' And Korra now had nothing. No marks. No pride to call her own.

"It won't be long now." A voice Korra had not heard before pulled her away from the mirror. She had not noticed her own finger trailing down what once had been a scar on her forearm.

"Are you my designer?" Korra was embarrassed it was a he. Or at least she thought he was. He looked just as extravagant as the girls in the prep team. Fire Nation born his hair looked like fire with its varying shades of orange and red. It was very long too, down to his back, but not braided an any sort of way like a warrior should. It would have been an embarrassment if he did since he, of course, was no warrior.

"I am." He had the voice of a fire nation man. Smooth, but firm and almost on the edge of harsh. "They call me Iza here."

"Do they not call you Iza other places?"

She had meant it as a joke but when he answered "They call me Youten there," She stopped talking.

He circled her like a vulture lion with a critical eye. Korra didn't like it. The way his amber eyes lingered on certain places on her body longer than others.

"Your hair was different during the reaping." Iza observed lifting the gentle curls.

"That's how I usually wear it."

"But not this morning."

"I thought it would look better."

"You were wrong." He looked at her face now. "Down is good. Up, maybe for the arena. But both? No. It's too unbalanced. Besides, who wears tails anymore? Now we need to get you dressed."

He took Korra's hand. Korra is amazed at how smooth it is. Almost like Asami's. carefully softened with oils after her work is finished for the day.

"What are you going to put me in?" She knew the costumes reflected the districts. Her father had been cloaked in the skin of a polar bear dog. Most of the girls were put in far too revealing ant tight outfits lined with furs. The outfit she was shown was long and flowed like water. He slid her into it like a salmon into a river. The long fabric reflected liquid silver and blue. Maybe, looking like this, she was deserving of all those times Asami called her Goddess.

"It's a strategy the north should have used a long time ago." Iza said as he led her out of the room. "The moon, after all, was born from the water tribes wasn't she?"

"The hair looked different." Korra told him. She intentionally avoided the obvious part about the moon spirit not having dark skin. And with all the silver and coloring in her hair it could have looked white from a distance.

"This will have to go." Iza's finger touched the gemstone resting in the hollow of her neck. Korra took a step back.

"Do what you want to the rest of me. That stays."

"The water tribe's traditions are primitive and unnecessary. It stands out too much, marking you like a savage. Your sweetheart will have to understand."

"It matches the outfit well enough." Korra defended, "And the moon spirit was engaged while she was a mortal in the northern tribe."

Iza hmmed before finally allowing it to pass. "I'll show you to your chariot then princess."

She saw the kid from her district for the first time since getting off the boat. He looked nothing like her. Where she was elegant and regal he was feral. His face was painted in grays and blacks. He wore a furred helmet decorated and shaped like a wolf's head. It was the very same outfit a real warrior would wear before a battle. Iza had done his research.

"With the right attitude you might even look threatening to someone." She told him as she climbed on their own chariot.

"And you might even look pretty." The boy snapped back at her.

Numbered by district her chariot was fourth in line. District one headed out into the light accompanied by cheers. The four komodo rhinos that pulled it set a slow pace for the other tributes. Their costumes were like fire flickering in the gentle breeze. District one always commanded attention with blazing costumes.

District two and three passed and soon Korra found herself riding through the streets of the capitol. She smiled at their cheers and even laughed. She looked beautiful. They knew it. Not a single person called the name of the young warrior beside her.

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky. The crowd was all in screams of terror that became shouts of praise the next instant. "Mako! Mako!" She heard them cry.

Korra spared a glance behind her to the District 5 tributes. Their costumes hardly looked flattering. The two of them had been encased in what looked like a coat of steel wool. What caught the attention was the unnatural bolts of golden lightning that arced around and between them. The girl raised an arm and from her sleeve another bolt leapt into the sky.

The boy they called for held his head level. His amber eyes were only focused on the path in front of him. His hands gripped the edge of the chariot tightly. Was he uncomfortable with the energy surging around him?

Korra tried to pull the attention of the crowd back to her. With a massive effort she conjured water from the humid tropical air and threw it high into the sky. With one motion the water burst into a thousand snowflakes that fell onto the spectators. Children laughed and waved their arms. Adults began to remember her name. Korra wondered if they had ever seen snow.

All twelve chariots assembled before the tribute tower. Elder Tom Tom, ruler of the New Nation stood on the highest balcony to address the new tributes. On both sides of him monitors displayed the tributes. Mover cameras all around them captured the magnitude of each of the costumes. It annoyed Korra how long they lingered on district 5's electric suits.

When the speech was finished the chariots were pulled inside and the doors shut tight behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

Happy Hunger Games Tuesday everybody! A little late today I know but I worked in the morning today. Either way I'm back. Thanks for the reviews to those who gave them! On their note I know the chapters have been a touch on the short side. Part of it is because of the hunger games Tuesday. Which I do want to keep doing otherwise I'm going to start missing days and I'll never finish . . . I know me on that one. But if enough people don't like the short chapters then I'll bump them up on my next story.

Enough rambling though. _Hunger Games!_

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Chapter 5

Korra enjoyed the way the district 1 tributes watched the fives. The boy specifically eyed the girl like a piece of meat waiting to be carved. Korra wondered if their skin could catch fire from the intensity.

Korra nearly jumped out of her costume when the district two tribute tapped her shoulder from behind. Her hand was already straight and could feel herself reaching for ice to throw. The boy looked ridiculous. His outfit was meant to reflect something with the old Earth Kingdom. The suit was tight and gray leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Stone bits of what she was sure was gravel clung to it on the shoulders, back, and most of his legs. The muscles of his chest were clear through the fabric.

"You must be the 4 volunteer I heard about." He said.

"Then you must be from 2?"

He nodded, "Wasn't it obvious? We should be working together. I'm Wei. Wei Beifong."

"Korra." She extended a hand and he took hers. Neither drew attention to the way they looked at each other. He was small, but his strength was clear from his costume. Earthbender no doubt. Possibly metalbender too if he was really a Beifong like he claimed. No one would pretend they didn't know the Beifong story. Their family were legends, champions of district 2. In the entire world no one compared to the glory and downfall of their one family.

Toph Beifong was the winner of the very first Hunger Games. In any normal games she would have been too old, but there were exceptions made for the first few games in most areas in an attempt to make them as explosive as possible. And Toph was exactly the picture of victory the capitol wanted. She was ruthless, vicious, and let nothing stop her. But even after she was entered her line was not safe from the games. One after the other both of her two daughters were entered, both winning the game in their year. From that point on the two lived very different lives. The older, Lin Beifong, lived a life of solitude as a peace keeper for her district. The younger, this boy's mother no doubt, began a family. Suyin would be the last in the line of Beifong glory.

Less than five years ago her oldest son, Baatar Beifong Jr. was entered into his games. He had done well enough to survive until the final six. Even Tonraq had admired his resourcefulness and engineering genius he used to buy his support from the carrers. Eventually though they did turn on him as they all knew there could only be one winner. Three years later Huan Beifong didn't even survive the cornucopia.

"Well Wei." Korra finally said with a cough, "I'll see you at training tomorrow. It's been uh, nice meeting you." He said his goodbys and she went to where her mentors and the other 4 boy was waiting at the elevator.

How many floors up was hers? The button in the elevator said four, but she had to have been higher. Korra couldn't bring herself to try to put her head out the window to look down. She was practically in the sky! As the sun set the entire capital lit like a jewel just for her.

Korra even slept well for the most part. It would have been nice to learn about Mako today, but it could wait another day. Seeing a Beifong was a nice addition. She did worry about how he would do though. He seemed much stronger than his brothers.

The bed here was firm, but not hard like the wooden frame of her bed in the water tribe. The blankets were soft and warm and comfortable and Korra seemed to sink into them. She still found herself wishing for the rough touch of the furs of the animals her father had hunted.

To help her sleep a small device had been installed that control the sound of the room. She spent what had to have been more than an hour scrolling through things like passing satomobiles and birds. At last her room sounded much like the inside of a cavern dripping with water. A fire crackled and a wolf howled peacefully in the distance. It was the rhythmic lull of a steady drumbeat that finally eased her into sleep.

When she wrapped her arms around her pillow she could almost feel her father's rough hand on her shoulder. She missed it. She missed the cold of winter. She missed her home. She told herself it wouldn't be long until she saw them again.

When morning came she tried to listen to her mentors. They knew what they were talking about, but her mind wouldn't sit still. The first day of training was less than an hour away.

The mentors warned against showing off to much of their skills. Save it for the arenas and the game makers they said. Focus on what they don't know. Tonraq had told her the same things countless years before. The boy hardly picked at his food. It seemed he was determined to starve himself before the games began.

At the bottom of the elevator the other tributes had gathered. Korra had left the boy along to finish eating. She wasn't the last one there but Wei called her over right away with a wave. He was already with the careers from district one. Wei was proving to be social and none of the glances his way were ones of dislike. Korra hoped the game makers on the balcony overlooking the training arena didn't like him too much.

The two careers from district one were named Chee and Yong. Both were thin but Korra could see the lean muscle in their limbs. Korra knew there was bound to be fire burning in them. Chee had extraordinarily long black hair. Perfectly straight and held in place with pins. Another trademark of the women of district 1.

The sound of a shrill whistle caught the tributes attention. The other four boy had finally joined them. When Korra looked at him she noticed Mako nearby. He was alone, indifferent almost, to the others. He leaned against a wall with his hands in his pockets looking towards the whistle blower.

The man stood in front of the tributes like a statue of stone. Fire Lord Zuko's very own grandson, Iroh II. He had been forcibly entered into the second hunger games as a young boy. For every year after he oversaw training to ensure every tribute had equal chance of survival. Though he stayed true to his code to treat all tributes equally the careers from district one tended to treat him like a war hero year after year.

"Listen up tributes." He said sternly, "The biggest question you've been waiting for." He waited a moment as each tribute leaned closer, needing to hear his answer. "Yes. There will be bending in this year's hunger games."

The boy from seven and the girl from six almost broke down at the announcement. They were easy, non-bending targets for the rest of them no doubt.

"Now, this is going to be your training arena. You can use any of the equipment that you need. Instructors are at every station if you need help. And that," He pointed to a small, windowless black door along a wall "Is your sparing room. Only two tributes may enter at a time. And fighting between tributes is permitted only in that room. Keep in mind that everything in that room is monitored and you will be accompanied by trainers." He nodded to the line of them who were waiting for the session to begin. There were so many of them Korra wondered what they did during the off season of the games.

Iroh went on about more rules and restrictions. Korra wasn't listening. Korra was watching the other tributes. The other careers were doing the same and she knew why. Who would they challenge? Nothing else would be a better display of her opponents strength, skill, or style.

Wei she could challenge for sure. She needed to see if he carried the same curse of the other Beifong children. The shrill blare of Iroh's whistle marked the beginning of training. Before she could ask Chee made his challenge to Wei and the two headed towards the room.

Korra spent a moment pouting with a scowl on her face. Finally she settled on utilizing a climbing wall. In the flat, frozen landscape of the frozen tundra there wasn't much of a need for the skill. Korra hardly did it well. She had poor judgment for handholds and was constantly left slipping. Only her sheer upper body strength alone kept her on the wall until she reached the top. Being up so high made her a little nervous but jumping down she found easy.

She passed the boy as she went to a different station. He struggled over a pile of wood as he attempted to light a fire. Korra shook her head. What man didn't know how to light his own fires? Then she remembered he wasn't even old enough to go ice dodging, much less be a man. Korra pushed on before she could develop sympathy for him.

Korra tried her hand at a less interesting challenge: Archery. The girl from district three was proving to be plenty useful at it. Giving into the girls taunts Korra fired and missed her target horribly. Korra's skin burned under her laughter.

"Come on," A voice korra didn't recognize spoke up. Good thing too. Visions of turning that bow into a club were starting to show up. "Leave the fighting to the games." Archer girl almost said something back. Iroh's whistle stopped her and she backed away with narrow eyes.

"I could have had her." Korra grumbled drawing the bow a second time. Her muscles ached at the unfimilar pull.

"I'm not here to fight you." Mako said

"Maybe you missed the point of the games."

"That's actually why I'm here. You volunteered for four didn't you?"

"Yeah,"

"Your dad won his own games right."

"So you want to be allies?" Korra dropped the bow, glad not to shoot it again.

"Couldn't hurt." He shrugged, Korra was less willing. She didn't like his eyes. A deep anber that was both dull and calculating. She had seen the same look in her father's eyes when they watched the games together. She remembered the way he fought the peace keepers when they announced his brother. His wild and raw skill.

"Alright, but I won't just work with anyone." She told him, "I need to know I won't be wasting my time."

"Let me guess." He glanced at the sparing door. A loud buzzer announced the return of the other two. Wei was rubbing his shoulder and Chee walked with a small limp. It was impossible to tell who had won. But Wei at least was smiling as he waved to the trainer of another station and made his way there.

Mako cleared across the room to Iroh to claim his spot before Yong came. The instructor gave him a nod before he waved her into the door.

He was being far too nice. Far too trusting. It had to be some kind of ploy to get her guard down. She would have to knock him down a few pegs just to be sure.


	6. Chapter 6

Yes I know for the first time I've _missed_ a hunger games Tuesday. It makes me very sad. but its only Wednesday morning so its not like I missed it by much. curse this working in the morning thing. As for addressing my review I don't have a solid idea as to how long it's going to be, just a ideas as to what will happen in the games. I am writing this as I go. one chapter at a time. As for Asami and Bolin, well, I can't much tell about that can I?

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Chapter 6

The sparing chamber was much larger than Korra imagined It would be. A square empty room made of solid metal. Platnium most likely. The dark gray walls were broken by a single rectangular window were a few game makers sat watching.

"Tributes." A voice in a speaker said, "State your names, district, and elements then report to your corner."

"Korra. District four. Water." She said it as Mako opened his mouth. He said nothing though and a number four appeared in one corner of the room.

"Mako. District 5. Fire." When he reached his corner the room went dark. Korra was tempted to light a fire in her hands to see. Light returned to the room in the form of a timer being projected onto something Korra couldn't see. From sixty seconds it counted down. It was the same deep voice she had heard start the games year after year.

When the timer reached zero the lights came up again but Korra could hardly recognize where she was. It was what looked like a forest. Maybe what she thought a forest should look like at least. There were none of them in the frozen tundra of district four. The corner was now a small island in the middle of a surging river. All the ammunition she could ever need.

Treat this just like the games, she tried to tell herself. She fought to remember all of her father's advice. Know where your weapons are. Know your surroundings. Her weapon was the water, but how could she know the surroundings unless she left the river and explored?

A tree caught fire as she was thinking. It wasn't close enough to touch her but enough to make her nervous. Had Mako already been aiming for her? With one smooth motion she used the river to extinguish the flames. The river responded to her touch but it felt distant and distorted.

Korra had heard of synthetic bending before. It had been developed in the aftermath of the equalist revolution that had been dissolved a few years ago. The gamemakers didn't want her plunging a real icesicle into the heart of her enemy before the arena.

She didn't want to start too explosively. Instead a barrage of ice was thrown at the tree. Mako leapt at her then from an opposite end of the room. His fist cocked back with fire licking at his knuckles. The dive into the river was almost instinctive.

Korra relied on her bending to bring her to the surface without panicking. Even though she came up on the other side of the river Mako was waiting for her. A fireball struck her shoulder. It didn't have the burn of real fire but it still ached. How fatal would that blow have been in the games?

Determined not to let it happen again Korra fled into the woods. She knew by now she wasn't the best climber. Instead she found a place to hide. Through the bushes she watched Mako carefully. If he was smart he would protect the river with all he had. Which, unfortunately for Korra, he was. Korra tried to pull water from the leaves, but they were synthetic as well and had nothing to give her. She could draw water from the air, but it was dry here and too much would exhaust her.

"Korra!" She heard Mako shout, "Isn't this supposed to be a fight?"

She answered him with the river. She gripped it and swung her arms in a wide arc. Following her a thick tendril of water surged at him, engulfing him in it. Korra heard him cry out before it overtook him.

Keeping her grip on the river she ran to its side. The bending was easier when she was closer to it. She shaped a sphere of water around the firebender. He thrashed inside of it but could not break the surface. She had left his head above the surface. he made a few sounds as he tried to force his way out, some groaning and grunting but not much else. What else could Korra do to hurt him from this point? She didn't think making one ball of water would be that impressive to the game makers.

She dumped his body onto the island. He lay there in a sputtering mass for a second. He pushed himself to his elbows. With a motion the surface of the river froze and Korra slid her way onto the island.

"Give up yet?" Korra asked him with a smile.

Mako swung his legs, knocking her to the ground. He sprang then, his fiery punch blindly thrown. For an instant Korra couldn't breathe. She kicked out to catch his hip, narrowly missing his groin.

The two grappled on the island like hungry wolves. Korra did not like how strong this boy was. When he threw a punch it struck her harder than she ever expected. He was unusually careful at guarding her hands, knowing how difficult bending would be without them.

Korra felt a fire rise in her chest at the frustration. One breath. That's all it would take. His face was close enough to hers. At the very least she could burn off those stupid eyebrows of his. She knew she couldn't. Not as long as the gamemakers who were watching her struggle now knew she was a waterbender.

She felt the force of the blow on her head the moment she settled the fire in her chest. A crack on the side of her skull that left her dizzy. Bright lights danced behind her blue eyes.

All at once the room was bright and empty once more. The forests and river gone. A trainer was at Korra's side helping her stand. Mako stepped aside with his hands raised. She thought he was saying her name. Her head was still clouded.

"You got lucky," She managed to say when she was steadied.

"Do we have a deal or don't we?" he demanded

"I'll think about it." Korra told him before heading outside of the sparing room. She intentionally didn't rub her shoulder where he had burned her. Right now she didn't want to talk to the boy who had beaten her. Right now she didn't want to talk to anyone.


	7. Chapter 7

Working in the mornings on hunger games Tuesday will be the end of me ^^ Keep those reviews coming!

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Chapter 7

Korra had let her anger fade away by lunch. The careers all sat at one table together. Most of the time the conversation talked about how training had gone or how good they were. Korra didn't much want to hear all that. Training had lasted so long as it is she wished they would talk about something else. She was curious about how people lived in the other districts. The other nations didn't seem to have hunters or warriors like the water tribe did. Who provided food for their families or protected them? It couldn't have been the women was it? The girls in the lower districts seemed too thin to be able to provide for a family.

Korra caught sight of Mako sitting alone and eating a sandwich. No one even bothered to sit by him. He was too quiet and boring to be around. His head was ducked and he watched the others with a chilling look Korra could only describe as feral. Korra didn't want to talk to him either.

The next day of training went without incident. Korra kept expecting Mako to talk to her but he never did. Had he decided she wasn't worth his time after beating her? Korra wanted to challenge him again, or at least to tell her she was better then what he saw. But doing that would let the others know she had lost. She couldn't look weak to them at least. After a while she stopped looking over her shoulder to see if he was coming.

Korra did her best to remember what every tribute did at each of the stations she saw them on. For the most part that ended up meaning she watched the careers. The others were dead anyway. Yong was capable of lightningbending. Wei was a powerful metalbender, as everyone expected, but lacked even basic survival skills.

Korra let them see that she was a bender as well, but was careful not to show anything more. She went out of her way to avoid stations that showcased survival techniques. She knew her share of those just by living in the southern water tribe. When you live in a place where not having a fire overnight can mean certain death but there isn't a scrap of wood to be found you tend to learn how to survive. Still it was nice to see how people got by here where firewood and stones for weapons were more readily available.

She did pay special attention to the trapping station. There were plenty of trappers at home who used their skills to feed their families. Korra had always watched the craft from a distance and let herself enjoy the chance to actually try it for herself. There seemed to be no end to the number of traps they could teach her.

At lunch on the final day of training Chee invited Mako to sit with the careers. Korra hadn't been able to find out details but Yong challenged him earlier that day. Whatever he had done had clearly impressed her. The relief that came from his refusal was much stronger than she had expected. If he was intent on not talking to her then she would do the same.

After what seemed like weeks of fine dining and extensive training Korra would be presented to the gamemakers. She had talked with her mentors during every meal trying to pin down a strategy for the evaluation. His decision turned out to be a simple one: "you've never been able to hide your love of bending before," he told her, "Why start now?"

The other tributes waited in the hall along with her. Like everything else they did the tributes were put in order by their districts. Korra wouldn't let the boy go before her. One by one the other tributes went inside. The careers more enthusiastically then the rest.

Like always Mako was silent leaving Korra unsettled. His amber eyes concentrated on nothing. His face was almost emotionless as he waited. Korra couldn't imagine what he was planning.

"Four!" Iroh called and she went to the door. He looked at her for a moment before motioning her to enter. Korra felt a familiar twang of annoyance. What was he looking at?

The sparing room was now where she would be evaluated. Like before it was empty but racks of weapons lined one of the walls. The platform above was filled with gamemakers. Many of them held drinks in their hands. Thankfully not much time had passed and most of them were not drunk yet.

Korra took a place in the center of the room. She wanted them all to see her. She wanted them to see she was unarmed. "Korra, District four. Waterbender."

When she said her element the room changed once more. She found herself on an arctic plain not unlike her district. On all four sides of her stood massive polar bear dogs, all snarling and growling. She doubted any of them were going to be friendly.

Korra positioned herself in the snow. She felt it compress under her feet. She heard it crunch with her weight. There was no cold that came with it though.

The dog to her right lunged and snapped his jaws. It wasn't a move common for a polar bear dog and so Korra wasn't ready. It bit the side of her clothes and pulled her towards it.

Korra raised a hand and let a water whip strike the dog under the jaw. Converting water from snow was easy enough for her. After the dogs grip had been loosed she kept the whip steady between her hands.

She glanced up at the gamemakers and smiled.

Using her bending she threw herself in the air and over the dogs. She was sure she could handle them but didn't feel the need to let them surround her. She went so far as to pull one of their tails when she landed behind it. It yelped as it turned on her.

One of them reared on its hind legs, intent on crushing her with his massive paws. Korra swiped the snow under it turning it to solid ice. The beast crumpled as it lost its balance unable to keep from sliding. When the dog hit the ground the image of it faded away like dye in water.

The one Korra had pulled on charged after her with its mouth open. Thick drops of slobber fell from its floppy lips. It ended up closing its fangs around a beam of ice Korra held between her hands like a staff. It cracked under the force of the dogs jaws. It thrashed its head snapping it into little shards. Korra punched it in the nose to disorient it.

From her left side one of the polar bear dogs charged again. She jumped backwards barely out of its way. Were they managing to surround her again? Making a little ramp of ice Korra slid away from them. The third bear tried to knock her over. Korra leapt, spinning as she did and letting momentum fuel her kick. Ice followed her leg downward and struck the bear in the side of the head. It went down with a dull thud in the snow.

Korra faced the final two bears. One stood on either side of her. Their heads raised in a growl. Their powerful shoulders squared. One roared. Korra shot ice into its open jaw. The ice shattered when it closed its mouth.

One after the other the bears roared and fell in heaps on the ground. Before they vanished pools of blood stained their white fur. Korra had not attacked them though so why did they fall? Had the gamemakers decided they had seen enough?

Korra turned as she heard a soft clinking sound. Behind her she saw the boy from her district holding a boomerang. He didn't look much like he had an hour ago. All of his nervousness, all his fear, seemed to vanish like the bears had. His eyes were cold. His face stone. He pulled a club from a loop on his belt and charged at her with a battle cry.

"Woah kid!" Korra jumped back at his first swing, "What are you doing?"

"Getting you before the games start."

"Are you kidding? You're going to get yourself killed like this." Korra tried to find the gamemakers. This part of training was supposed to be alone. And if she hurt him now would she be punished for it? Through the simulation she saw only a gray cloudy sky and flecks of snow that stung her eyes.

Instead of swinging again he thrust his club hard into Korra's chest. She fell backwards with the wind almost knocked out of her. Where had this strength come from? Had he been playing weak this whole time?

"If I let you live now you'll kill me in the games. And if you don't do that you'll help another career do it."

"I said I wasn't going to. Remember, on the boat." She never thought she would see a need too. He was so young and weak she figured he would die on his own without her help. Seeing him now hungry for blood she wasn't as sure.

Korra rolled away just as he brought the club down where her head had been. Snow sprayed from the impact. Korra sprang to her feet and instantly was forced onto the defensive. He came at her again and again from one side then the other. He was faster than he should be and his blows grew harder and harder to defend against. His directions were random and it was almost impossible for Korra to tell which way he would be coming from.

Finally when Korra thought she could take no more she charged at him. All of her weight behind her she barraled into his chest. The both of them fell back together. The boy thrashed but Korra was heavier. She forced him to the ground holding his hands by his head.

"What is wrong with you?" She shouted in the boys face. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Do it this way and the gamemakers will make sure you're miserable in the arena. Do you want that?" The boy spat in her face. Korra couldn't even wipe it away. She would have punched him in the face though if she had the chance. "Look. The gamemakers aren't watching. If you leave maybe they won't kill you. Do you understand me? Alrght? They're stupid enough to not pay attention now anyway. Get out of here and pretend like nothing ever happened."

A dull clicking sound echoed off the metal room. The arctic plain was gone. The boy was gone. In what had been the clouds the gamemakers lined the window watching her. Korra tried to make out their faces through the glass.

"I didn't mean-"

"Korra." Iroh was standing in the doorway. "You can leave now."

"But I-"

"Now Korra." His voice was hard. Had he seen her try to convince the boy to go against the gamemakers? Did he know she called them stupid?

There wasn't a chance to argue. Korra stormed out of the room and past everyone waiting for their turn. She said nothing to the other tributes. They were looking at her. She could practically feel Mako's amber gaze on her. She wouldn't even look at him.

Every muscle in her body was like a coiled spring ready to snap. When she reached the elevator she punched her floor hard enough to hurt her knuckles. She ignored the mentors too when she was upstairs. When Koyak tried to say something to her she knocked a lamp off a table. Shards of pottery scattered across the floor with jagged edges.

Korra went to the one place in the capitol she knew no cameras would be watching her: The bathroom. She didn't even take off her clothes before stepping into the ice cold shower. The droplets fell into her upturned eyes. A tear fell.

How could she have been so stupid? She dug her nails into her bicepts. Her body stung from the cold. The gamemakers would kill her now. They'd call her a rebel. She should have realized they could still see her in the snow.

Her anger boiled over. With a sound that could only be described as a roar fire burst from Korra's mouth.


	8. Chapter 8

Finally a hunger games Tuesday that's not super late at night. Thanks to everyone who's stuck around this long.

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HG 8

"Tell me tell me tell me." The kid begged. "It had to be horrible. Was it horrible?"

"Shut up." Korra threw the pillow she had been sitting on at his face. She made sure to fart in it before she did. He had been like that since she had gotten out of the shower.

"Quit fighting, both of you." Ilaq commanded, "The show's about to start."

"The kid refused to stop for the next few moments. He finally did when the television began to sing. "Fire Lord! My flame burns for you!" it began with the fire Nation's national anthem. Korra settled in her corner of the couch as Naraq shut off the lights.

Two capitalists announced themselves. They chatted a bit about the previous events. The lightning display during the parade was an especially long topic. It seemed to take forever for them to even mention training.

They showed footage of some of the training. They cheered a bit when Wei used his metalbending to form armor around himself. They laughed when the girl from seven slipped on the floor. Her sparing partner, a trainer armed with some sort of spear, would have been able to complete his finishing move "She better hope there's no ice in this year's games." The hosts would say.

"Are we going to see any more footage like that?" The host on the left asked still chuckling.

"Well no actually. Their training just ended." The right one answered,

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Lefts false surprise almost left her nauseous. "Why don't you show us the scores?"

Each tribute was represented by a second long video that froze at the end. The hosts would chat for a moment and then the score was displayed by a glowing white number that covered the picture.

Yong and Chee both scored eights while Wei scored a nine. The boy from district three ranked six and his partner a seven. They showed the boy from Korra's district first with him only scoring a lowly five. He sank into the couch a little when it was announced.

Korras image had been taken from the tribute parade. She truly looked like a princess dressed as the moon spirit. Snowflakes she had made drifted gently onto her dark skin. The image fell still halfway through a wave. She could be particularly happy they had chosen that instant to freeze her. She really did look happy.

"Now that one is a pretty one isn't she?" Left said with a little wistle.

"I'd be careful with that one." Right warned, "You see that necklace she's wearing? The water tribe uses those like wedding rings."

Korra blushed as Left blurted out "You mean she's engaged!"

"Poor guy too. Korra is the four volunteer this year. He had to know she would be entering the games at some point."

"Well tell us how she did so he can know too."

"Let us see here?" Right shuffled though some papers he was holding as if looking for the answer. Between nervousness and embarrassment Korra thought she really would be sick this time. "Korra's score is a nine."

Korra didn't realize she had been holding her breath until after they said her score and she could breathe again.

"Well that's not so bad." Left said.

"Not at all. One of the highest scores of the night."

Lights flashed and thunder rumbled over the voices of the host. They looked around as if afraid for a few minutes. "You know what that must be?"

"It's those lightningbugs from district 5 I bet."

"So who's this first one?" Left asked

The image they chose was one of Mako in the training grounds. In his hands he held a flame. It was small enough to hold in his palms but it burned with a bright light that cast strange shadows on his face. At first glance there seemed to be nothing interesting about it. The boy and even the mentors probably dismissed it. But Korra had the eyes of someone who was secretly a firebender. She could see the concentration on his face, the strain in his muscles.

Barely visible against the glow of fire Korra could see the leaf. It was burning but had not been comletly engulfed in fire. It took a good amount of control to both fuel a fire and contain it like he was. Korra was sure the people of the capitol, most of them firebenders by birth, would have noticed the detail.

"That's mako. You remember him don't you? That's the boy who volunteered."

"Oh right. How could I forget? It was just so touching the way he fought for his brother like that. I wonder what the other tributes think of him."

"Well I hear they don't think much of him at all." Right answered.

"You're kidding." Left playfully hit his co-host with his stack of papers.

"I'm not. Rumor has it he hasn't spoken to any of the tributes since arriving at the training arena." Korra frowned at the words. He had talked to her on the first day. Did they not know that or were they ignoring it for the camera?

"A silent killer I would hope?"

"Oh you don't have to hope on this boy because he scored an eleven. There's serious fire in this one. The city is calling him the Dragon of Republic City . . ."

Eleven? An eleven? Korra felt a stone sink in her stomach. Nothing else the announcers said mattered anymore. He was good but _that_ good? What could he have possibly done? Korra had done her best to fight off four vicious polar bear dogs and that didn't even get her a ten. Didn't the gamemakers know how many seasoned warriors fell to even one of those beasts in the wild? What did Mako do? Kill a dragon blindfolded? She had to know.

Korra found it hard to concentrate on the rest of the scores. None of them were as high as hers or Makos. The boy from district seven had scored an eight. When they were finished the hosts were chatting again. Koyak shut off the television set.

"Well I'm getting dessert and heading to bed." The boy said. His head was a little low. Korra guessed he was still hurt over his score.

"There's still night light left." Iza told him. Their costumer had joined them halfway through the evaluation announcements. "We need to talk about interview time." The boy didn't argue, just flopped back on the couch.

"My dad said you just picked out our costumes." Korra told him.

"I do. But I need to give you some instruction before. Korra I need you to not put your hair up tomorrow." Korra nodded. When she asked what else Iza just waved her away and turned to the boy.

Korra knew better than to argue with them anymore. He seemed to get all the late night training he could want while Korra was sent to bed. Korra supposed he needed it at this point. Not that she really thought it made a difference to him anyway. She was perfectly alright with just heading to bed. She had added an owl to the soundtrack the night before. Sennia had always liked the sound of owls.

The next morning the boy was still sitting on the couch. Koyak was sitting across from him trying to teach him the proper way to sit. Had the kid been there all night? Korra didn't bother to look at him and poured herself a glass of lychee juice.

Ilaq got her attention with a heavy hand pounding on the table behind her. "So." He said heavily. "Sit." He didn't even give Korra the chance to ask to start breakfast. She sat on the couch opposite the boy. She sat up straight when Ilaq snapped "Up."

"What did I do?" Korra asked.

"You slept in." Ilaq told her sitting down. Kozan shook his head.

"If there was ever a district that needed to learn how to behave it's you water districts." Kozan said shaking his head. "aside from the games the interview tonight is going to be the hardest part."

"Isn't it just some capitalist guy asking me questions?" Korra asked, "How is that hard?"

"This is going to be the only chance the public gets to see you." Koyak answered, "The real you. And you need to give that to them. Yes they are looking for someone who looks like they can win the games but aside from scores they don't have much of a way to know about your chances of that."

"The people want more than just a fighter." Kozan continued, "Districts like you don't understand that there is more to life than just maim or be maimed. They want a tribute with backstory and plot twists. They want a tribute that they can emotionally invest in."

"Like the boy from five?" Korra was almost surprised the kid mentioned Mako. Had he been paying attention to him too?

"Exactly like the boy from five." Kozan answered pointing, "I can almost guarantee that if they aren't talking about his score they're going to be sapping on about his brother. People here just eat that stuff up like chocolate."

"I have brothers," The kid perked up. "I could mention them?"

"What have your brothers ever done?" Korra added.

"More for you than you'll ever care about." The kid's anger was sharp when he snapped at her.

"Knock it off or I'm separating you two." Koyak said, "Unless you have some sappy love story about your brothers I doubt it'll be helpful. A small group of older boys hazing your way to manhood isn't going to go over well. Do you have maybe a sister? One who needed her brother to keep her savfe from winter and polar bear dogs?" The way he looked at the kid made it sound like more of a suggestion than an idea. But the kid only shook his head.

"Then scrap siblings." Ilaq said, "If we do that now it'll sound like we're stealing the strategy of the five boy. What about a girlfriend or something? A sweetheart you're coming back to?"

"I have my necklace." Korra said touching the stone. "They even mentioned it during the announcement."

"And you're telling me a _boy_ gave you that necklace right?" Koyak said with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Asami did. Asami Sato. I mean she didn't give it to me herself but it's from her."

"This is the capitol, Korra, not Zaofu. The people here are descendants of an organization that overturned the entire world to preserve their ancient ways. They're not going to take well to two women being together. You'd be better off not wearing it or remembering right now that it was a man who gave it to you."

"It was a man that gave it to her." The kid said almost sounding determined. "She just isn't remembering it right."

"Good." Kozan leaned back in her chair. "Now, Narak, we just need to work on you." Korra learned more about the kid's life than she needed too as the mentors asked him question after question trying to forage a story for the interview. He grew up in the same city Korra did. His family had never exactly known wealth, his father was usually never around. The kid believed he out hunting for the longest time, but when he would be gone for days and come home smelling of drink he finally learned otherwise. Korra stopped listening. She thought it was nonsense. If something like that were happening the women of the tribe would be gossiping over it day and night. She would have heard it at least once.

Finally with his story set the mentors turned to presentation. The kid snapped straight and his head high. "Not like that, you look like a pole." Kozan would say.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Koyak was actually the one to interject there. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I sat just like this for my interview. Seemed to go over just fine."

"Yes well this boy isn't a four-hundred pound gorilla bear like you." Kozan told him, "and if you aren't going to look intimidating you're going to have to look sophisticated. Remember, your father was a monster, to you and your family, but you've risen above all that. And don't try too much it looks forced."

Korra was pushed straight by a finger at her spine between her shoulderblades. She had been watching the boy so closely she hadn't noticed Ilaq coming beside her. "You want your chest out a little." He said, "You've been pretty gifted there. Let the audience have something pretty to look at."

"What?" Korra shrank back at the idea.

"The spirits gave you a gift. I don't think any of the other tributes are as well endowed as you. Let that be an advantage."

"My advantage is my bending."

"In the arena, yes. But here it's your chest. Now put them out unless you want them to pay more attention to the girl from one. They're not as big but she's cute enough."

With a frustrated sigh Korra finally obeyed although she still felt uncomfortable. The process went on for hours. How to sit, how to stand, how to wear high heels. Korra was grateful Asami had made her wear them in the past. She had no memories of her mother wearing them. How would she have done?

It wasn't until Iza returned to them at about suppertime that it was allowed to end. Even then Ilaq followed her into her prep room to give her more instruction as she was changed. She couldn't tell him how uncomfortable it was having him standing there, seeing her change. Especially after what he said. Did she really need his advice that badly at this point?

Iza had transformed her into the moon spirit again, this time with much more of a theatrical flair. Her dress was coated with glittering gemstones that made her look like a star. Her hair was unnaturally white, something Iza promised would wash out before the games. It was adorned with more glittering stones and pale blue jewelry. A translucent train flowed behind her like a wave of glittering mist. Her face was covered in enough make up Korra was surprised she looked anything like herself. And they had left her eyes clean of any liner although the girls tended to chat about how perfect her lashes were.

The only part of her aside from her face that was visible was her collarbone. The way the skin there was so smooth and lotioned it seemed to glow. And it glowed for one purpose: To put her betrothal necklace on display. "You wanted to be an engaged moon spirit," Iza told her, "and that's what you'll be."

They took her downstairs then to wait for the interview to begin


	9. Chapter 9

yes it has been a while. Not because I wanted to but because my sister was moving and it's kind of a big deal. Anyway I'm back now and it's going to stay that way. _Happy Hunger Games Tuesday! _Thanks for everyone who stuck with me so far and was willing to wait through my break.

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Chapter 9

How long was she supposed to wait in this line of, well, creatures? Some of them hardly looked like people anymore. Their suits too gaudy or their dress too poofy. Was this the kind of things people in the capitol wanted to see? Korra didn't even much like her dress, but it didn't look like someone had designed it during a night of drugs. Very heavy drugs for that matter.

The tributes were put back in a line, ordering them by district again. The line was against the wall and she leaned against it heavily. The kid even had the nerve to tell her to get up and that she would wrinkle her dress. Korra almost rubbed the back of her dress against the wall just to irritate him.

"Fire lord! My flame burns for you!" The song began again and the tributes around them straightened up. Korra didn't. She was fourth. There was more people ahead of her so why bother getting nervous now? Korra looked down the line. All the way in the back the boy from twelve was all at attention. He was in for a long wait. Maybe he would pee himself by then?

There was a television there that displayed the broadcasting of the interviews. Korra focused on that. The stage was simple, open and mostly empty. There was a chair for the interviewer, a bouncy young man named Rias, and one for the tribute. They would be the star of the performance. Decorations and lights would only take away from the attention the tributes demanded.

Rias ran onto the stage after a brief introduction by an invisible announcer. He welcomed the live audience and started the interview with a few Hunger Games themed jokes. Almost all of them were cheesy and received a less enthusiastic response from the waiting tributes. Wei actually punched a wall when his joke ended by calling his oldest brother a 'Beat'-fong. Korra could understand his anger. It was probably hard watching his brother be killed by a giant of a man with an old club.

Finally he called out the first contestants one at a time. There was talk about if they were any good or not and chatter about their scores. District one was all about the honor of winning the games. Honor for their district, honor for their families, honor for themselves. It was a strategy they used each and every year. A strategy that won them sponsors each and every year for that matter.

District two was mostly dealing with the Beifong curse. Wei did his best to portray himself as carefree but still pretty tough, but there was a little anger in him still about that joke. He did get plenty of attention when he brought down one of the stage lights with his bending and disassembled it with his hands. The entire thing was a sparking mess but he did it without being shocked which seemed to impress plenty of people.

District three was a less interesting bunch. Their girl was pretty in a way that almost reminded her of Asami. She had the same dark hair and the green eyes of the earth kingdom. Her beauty was limited to her face though. She was an odd combination of tall and thin that made her look almost like she was made of wire. The dress she wore was slimming and tight, trying to make her thin body look natural, but Korra had seen her without it and knew otherwise.

Finally she heard Rias call her name. He introduced her as the Moon Spirit. When she stepped onto the stage she could almost feel the spotlights dancing across her dress. She waved to the crowd, a gentle elegant wave. She sat in the chair trying to laugh at the way she sank into it.

"Aaaah!" Rias sighed as he settled in his chair. "The Moon Spirit! What's it like?"

"Being the moon?" Korra asked not fully understanding the question

"Of course of course!"

"Well," She stammered to find some kind of witty answer the capitalists would like. "I get to see all of you every night so I'd say it's not so bad."

Rias laughed an exaggerated laugh, "Well you have been waiting to see us haven't you. How long has it been since you became a career?"

"I think I was six when I decided." Korra nodded "It seemed right you know. Get in the games. Beat some other tributes. It was what my dad did."

"Oh I didn't forget your famous father did I?" He said, "Tonraq the mighty! Those are some _mighty_ big shoes to fill if you know what I mean."

"Yeah he's great." Korra felt relieved that this answer at least didn't feel forced. "He's been like a mentor to me my entire life. I just wish he could have been a mentor to me for the last part of this journey."

"Well I'm sure he's watching you right now isn't he?"

"He probably is." Korra waved to the main camera "Hi dad! Hi mom!" Rias joined in as well for a moment.

"Don't forget who else is probably watching you." Rias said pointing at her necklace, "That lucky man of yours."

Korra hesitated only in the slightest. "Actually, it's a lucky woman." The silence that fell on the gathered audience was almost tangible. After a few seconds a few murmers passed through the crowd.

"I'm sorry I must not have heard you right." Rias said digging in his ear with a pinky. He scooted closer. "Are you saying that a woman, a full blown woman," He made a rubbing motion in the air around his chest when he said the word woman. In that moment Korra respected Wei a little for not punching this man, "gave you that betrothal necklace."

"Yeah." Korra smiled through the words. A nervousness pricked at her fingertips. Should she have just done as Ilaq said? No, a secret like that would have to come out at some point.

"So you're telling me that this is not a betrothal necklace like we all thought it was." Rias was giving her the chance she needed to back out. He even stammered as he tried to get it out. "This is like a, a, a best friend charm or something."

"No I'm sure it's a betrothal necklace. Her name's Asami. Asami Sato actually. Her mother is actually from here if I remember right."

"_The_ Sato heiress? Now this is a development I did not see coming." Rias clapped his hands "And what did the beautiful Asami say when you volunteered?"

"She was mad at me. But I think this," She touched the stone around her neck, "I think this is forgiveness enough."

"Well you'll have to invite me to the wedding after you win."

"You'll be the first on the list." Korra agreed and shook the hand he extended to her although her mind was screaming not to do that. He announced her one last time before letting her off stage. At least the people were still clapping for her when she walked away. The kid passed her as he headed up to be announced.

"Nice going messing everything up," He sneered before disappearing on the stage to be embraced by their cheers.

Korra did not even listen to the boy's interview. Instead she headed past the other tributes and towards the elevator. Her part was done. What would she care about what the rest would say. It was Wei that stopped her on her way out.

"Hey, Korra," He said when she turned, "I just wanted to say that was brave of you."

"What was?"

"Saying that a girl gave you that. I know a lot of people wouldn't do something like that."

"Yeah, well, when this is over I figure it'll be hard for me to get a fake boyfriend so you know, this is easier. Besides, when we do get married they'll all be ready for it."

"I'm just glad you have someone back home you can look back to." Wei said his goodbyes and let her finish going to the elevator. She punched the button just as Mako was announced as the Dragon of Republic City. She almost wished she was going to be staying to see it. But she knew it would just be drama about his brother.

Upstairs the mentors were less than pleased with her. Kozan had a scowl etched on his face. Korra pretended like she didn't see them and grabbed a piece of bread and stuffed it in her face. Finally they decided they weren't going to have any conversations about the interview and one by one filed out of the room. Koyak patted her shoulder as he passed her.

"You better enjoy that bread," He said, "You'll be eating any sponsors of yours along with it."

All of Korra's confidence disappeared when he said that. Yes, she knew she was taking a risk, but it was a risk she wanted to take. But missing out on sponsors? She should have known that would go hand in hand. Thinking fast she answered before Koyak had disappeared completely.

"Asami is the only sponsor I need. She promised she would help me once I reached the final six."

"If you can live that long." He shut the door leaving Korra alone with her bread. And Korra made it a point to stay alone with her bread. They weren't going to bother her. It was only when the kid came back saying Hoaten from district eight was going on about the spirits during his interview did Korra finally pack it in.

She slept for the last time under her night time chorus. She recited her father's advice until the words faded away. She could remember the footage she had seen over several years of hunger games. Her father lifted his final opponent over his head and threw him over the edge of a cliff. The cannon had boomed and he, in all his blood stained glory, had been victorious. She tried to picture herself doing the same. Could she even pick up Mako?

This morning her thoughts had been interrupted by a blaring alarm. She rubbed her face and blinked the sleep away. Kozan was standing there holding the alarm in one hand. "One of these days you'll learn to follow direction." He said and led the way out of the room.

Korra put on the outfit that had been lain out for her. It was water tribe by design. Her boots lined with soft fur. She was glad that they had decided that she could wear pants instead of some embarrassing skirt. Her blue shirt went without sleeves. She brushed through her hair and fitted a wolf tail on each side of her face and one hanging down the back of her head. She spent a few moments looking into the mirror at herself. This was the last time she would be in a bedroom or even have a mirror to look at. It was the last time she would be alone or to herself. Even if she escaped the attacks of the other tributes the world would always be watching her.

Korra turned into the bathroom one last time before heading out. It was the only place in the entire tribute tower where she knew a camera wouldn't be hiding. If there was she'd be dead already, all because of a capitol of weird perverts. Secure in the idea that she was safe Korra conjured a flame. It had always been her favorite of the elements, the first one she had bent when she was a little girl. She could let the fire dance in her hand now, watching it like a mother watched their infant child. Once she closed her hand the flame was gone. No more fire, no more earth. She was a waterbender and nothing more.

She wasn't even given breakfast when she went into the common area. That was fine, Korra didn't want something sitting in her stomach like a rock during the fight at the cornucopia. The kid was there waiting as well. He was dressed in a similar fashion and escorted by Koyak. Ilaq stood by Korra and guided her to where the games would begin. He did not even say a single word to her as they traveled.

Korra and the kid parted ways when they reached the arena. They had been escorted into separate rooms. Korra's was blank and empty, only a bed she sat on waited for her. Ilaq stood by a wall with his arms crossed. He told her there was still some time to wait. The time was not long. She could hear an announcement and Ilaq motioned her to stand on the platform that would raise her into the arena.

"The other careers are going to take hold of the cornucopia." He told her before the door shut. "Keep hold of it with them and maybe you can win this game, sponsors or not. Make your father proud." He touched her forehead, drawing a pattern on it no one would see. If she had been a boy she would have been given the mark after her ice dodging trial. It was an honor for her, a girl, to have one at all.

"I will." Korra promised and the door closed. There was a lurch as she felt the floor rising to bring her to what would be the beginning of her life, or the end of it.


	10. Chapter 10

*sigh* no i didn't miss a day . . . . I just have may have forgotten yesterday was tuesday. Anyway, getting back into the swing of things _HAPPY HUNGER GAMES!_

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Chapter 10

The light was almost blinding after the dimly lit chamber. Korra was standing on a pedestal just big enough for her to balance on. On both sides of her the other tributes waited on pedestals like hers. All twenty four of them ringed what was called the cornucopia, a massive area filled with weapons, food, maybe even medicine. Above it the orange timer counted down from sixty.

She spared glances at the other tributes. She forced herself not to pay attention to the rusted walls that surrounded them. Most were focused on the supplies, trying to decide what to grab first. Korra met eyes with Chee. The firebender smiled and nodded.

Korra tried to think of what she she could grab. No, don't grab. Hold. The careers were going to take everything before anyone had a chance. Piles of fruit, a few swords, and an archery set, a few back backs that held who knew what else? The fewer of her enemies that held those objects the better.

The siren blared. The games had begun. Korra threw herself into the race to the center. She could hear the sound of fire blazing and a scream. Korra refused to look back. She could almost feel the pants of someone right behind her.

The moment she stepped onto the ground at the entrance she turned. With a strong movement her bending lashed out at her follower. One of the boys had been chasing her. He crumpled without even being able to take his next step. Had taking his life really been so easy and effortless?

"Korra!" She recognized Wei's voice. A friend in the madness around him. He threw off the girl that was clinging to his back. She hit hard into the wall of the cornucopia. With his bending he used the wall to seize the girl and quickly crush the life out of her.

"I have this end covered," She told him

"Then I'm covering it with you." He answered taking a defensive earthbending stance. Korra watched the way he stood. It was the first time she had been able to watch an earthbending master up close before. "Did anyone make it in?"

"Not that I saw." She struck a boy who was coming too close. District six she thought? He was quicker than she expected and ducked under her water whip. Wei however knocked him senseless with a boulder to his head.

They were not challenged a second time. The clearing was emptying. The opening volley was marked by the sound of a cannon. Three for the ones she and Wei had cut down. Four others Korra had not seen.

"We got them running!" Yong said laughing. He had grabbed a pair of dual swords and slung them to his belt. He probably thought he looked like Fire Lord Zuko carrying them. He wasnt that cool.

"Who'd you get?" Wei asked.

"The boys from eleven and twelve. Didn't even see you're little four." He laughed again.

"He probably took off the second the fighting started." Korra shrugged. "What about the Dragon?"

Yong spit on the ground. "There's you're dragon." He said. In the fire nation the title dragon was some great honor that traditionally came from killing an actual dragon. What had this poor boy from district five done to deserve their culture's honor? She could understand his frustration. She didn't want them calling some swampbending weakling a warrior.

"You killed him already?" Wei asked sounding both surprised and impressed. But did he sound a little concerned too? If he was Yong didn't even seem to notice.

"I watched him when the game started." Archer entered the cornucopia and sat on a nearby crate. In her hand she held a partially peeled grapefruit and was eating it like it was an apple. Like Korra had expected she had found a bow and clipped a quiver to her belt. "grabbed himself a pack the moment the siren went off and ran off the next moment. Headed towards the sun I think."

"Do we go after him?"

"Not yet." Yong ordered. "Let him take out a couple of the lesser tributes for us. After all, he's only got one pack right?" He paused to let Archer nod, "he's got to go after a few of them for supplies. Then we'll take him out together." He sat beside Chee and put his arm around her. Were they a couple and somehow Korra hadn't noticed the whole time? Korra heard of this kind of thing happening in district one, lovers fighting in a match to the death, but she hadn't been paying attention to it. More importantly when did he get put in charge? Didn't she get a higher score than him in the evaluations?

"What do we do for now?" Korra finally asked still grumbling.

"Well, we got all this food," Wei suggested. He batted a hanging sack of potatoes with the side of his fist. "It's really only a matter of time before another tribute or the game makers try to take it away from us. Why not have a party?"

"I don't know." Chee said even though she had already taken an apple out of one of the bags and taken a few bites out of it. Korra didn't like the way she chewed with her mouth open and talking through chunks of food. "If the games last too long won't it run out?"

"Wei's right though," Yong agreed, "Food is too much of a bait for the game makers to play with. If we let it sit they'll either lure the other tributes here or, I don't know, burn the whole place down. We might as well burn through as much of it as we can."

The tributes took to tearing through the supplies like starving moose lions. There was a sort of unspoken competition between them. All of them wanted to still wanted to look like they were on each other's good side. At the same time there was limited amount of everything and it was every man for himself.

Korra liked her lips when she found a case of salt. The case was overlooked by the other tributes but to her, the one that lived where they harvested it from the sea and used it to preserve almost all of their foods, it was like finding gold. Buried in the box in the box like an even sweeter, or in this case saltier, treasure a few cuts of meat were waiting for her. She fully intended on roasting them the moment Yong got a fire going.

Wei had found tucked away in a corner a case of what looked like wine. Korra had never tasted it before but she remembered Asami talking favorably about it once. She tried only a sip before deciding she didn't like the taste. Wine and coffee. Were there any drinks that her girlfriend liked that she would?

Wei and Chee practically split the case between them. The firebender didn't take to the alcohol well by the look of it. After a half hour she was stumbling around the cornucopia like a puppy learning to walk on ice. She kept claiming she had drunk worse in her district and was just fine. The others just watched her with disapproval. Wei on the other hand seemed just fine. He found a place to sit and laugh as he talked about Zaofu and the things his siblings did.

Yong finally got the fire going using debris and scrap boxes and a few emptied out crates. Korra remembered she didn't like the smell of wood burning smoke. It was different than the smell of burning elephant seal blubber although she could not quite describe how. She had only smelled wood fires a few times as a child. Wood was much less common in the southern tribe and blubber was a staple. She did think though that the smoke was doing something to the taste of her meat though and she liked it.

"How many of them _are_ you?" She heard Chee's yell echo off the wall of their little den of killers. Somehow in her drunkenness she had forgotten how many Beifong children there were. Wei talked endlessly about the twin brother he had left behind.

"I'm going to scout the area." Korra finally said. She didn't know how long she could stand being around her. She was a career that should be reflecting her district. How could she be so careless on the first day of the games.

"I'll come with you," Archer volunteered. Korra personally didn't want her too but couldn't think of a reason otherwise. Together the two headed into the cool twilight.

The area around the cornucopia was bare and dusty. The careers had picked it clean of the packs before the feast started. Now it was only gravely earth cluttered with chunks of rock. All around them in a wide circle high, rusted metal walls rose. The shortest of them rose a good ten feet or so above Korra's head. There were openings in the walls, wide passages that seemed to enter a maze of the same baron ground.

"What kind of place is this?" Korra breathed

Archer only shrugged, "Just some broken down city. "Not the game maker's most creative choice." Korra thought it looked almost like a worn down version of the capitol. They both had high metal buildings and high walkways. Then again wouldn't every city look the same to her.

They choose a north bound corridor that opened into a plaza of some kind. The shops were old, the paint chipping away. A sign that said 'groceries' banged against the side of the building in irregular intervals.

"Think there's any food in there?" Korra said pointing, "There has to be more places than the cornucopia with supplies right?" The careers holding it like they were couldn't be making for an interesting show.

Archer readied her bow and nodded towards it. "You check the place out then. I'll cover you."

The thought of Archer shooting her in the back crossed Korra's mind. What would be the point of becoming a traitor so quickly? The other careers would drive her out in a second.

Korra brought a stream of water to her hands. The air here was thick with moisture that almost weighed her down. Korra like the feel of the real water again, not the synthetic bending of the training arena. It was cool and light and she realized how much she had missed just being able to hold it.

Korra pushed open the door. It did not open the entire way catching on something on the floor. She still managed to squeeze inside though the fit was tight by her chest. Right away she put her back to the wall to examine what she realized was an empty room.

One resource for you is one less for them. Tonraq's advice echoed in her head before she managed to move away from the wall. There were cabinets here, drawers, a closet and a line of old ice boxes. A door lodged in the back wall would have led to an inventory room if this was a working store. Korra dug through the drawers. There were papers and random dishes but no weapons of food she could find. The ice boxes were empty and the closet held only a broom. Could she turn this into a spear maybe?

When she opened the door to the back room she heard the crash. Metal against metal clattering across the floor. The two tributes that had been hiding there stood over a pile of recently opened cans. The closest one grabbed the opener and lunged at korra. With a swinging kick of water she knocked him aside. The second had followed right behind manage to grapple her around her middle. The force of his blow knocked her backwards through the door. He was larger and the both of them tumbled onto the floor into the main room.

Korra heard the sharp sound of glass shattering. A plate they landed on maybe. As she struggled for ground she tried to find shards from the broken plate to use as a weapon. She could not find one but with a kick to the stomach she finally wrenched herself free from the tribute. She leapt back a few feet and assumed a defensive stance.

The tribute stood and immediately begun his charge again. He stopped a second later. An arrow had appeared in his forehead. The injury dripped and the tribute fell. Korra and the second tribute watched, both stunned as he collapsed.

A second arrow flew through the window Korra now realized was broken. It buried itself in the throat of the second tribute. With a half a minute of gruesome coughs that stained his lips with blood he collapsed as well in a heap of gore. Two cannon blasts broke the silence.

"Did you even try to kill them?" Archer asked when she shoved the door open a little further. Together the two began to search over the bodies. Archer pried the can opener out of the boy's hand. The blade on it was dull, but it was still a blade and she pocketed it.

"Water isn't exactly the deadliest of elements." Korra defended, "You didn't give me enough time. I almost had him."

"That's how you end up dead." Archer stood and glanced out the window. "Come on, it's getting dark. We should be getting back."

Korra followed. The sun had just set behind the high walls. She didn't feel cold like she should have. The air was still heavy with water and the lack of breeze made it feel thick. Then why was there a shiver creeping in her fingers and up her arms?

Just as they made it back they heard the music. High in the sky the anthem blared and the symbol of the capitol glowed in the sky. The night was over and the kills of the day displayed. The girl from five, both tributes from six. Korra recognized the boy with his can opener. The blood bubbling on his lips as he fell. District nine lost both of their tributes as well. Ten lost their boy. Eleven and twelve were knocked completely out of the games. Which one had been the boy she cut down at the cornucopia's entrance? Did it bother her she couldn't remember his face?

"More than half gone." Wei noted as the sky grew dark again, "We should get some sleep. Volunteers for first watch? Most of you volunteered to be here so one more wouldn't hurt am I right?"

Wei had volunteered himself but it was Yong who ended up taking the watch. Chee had already fallen asleep in a stinking heap on the floor. The others settled around her, Korra being shoved uncomfortably close in the tight space. The smell of the wine was heavy in her nose as she tried to fall asleep. The ground was smooth but cold and hard. Had she become so easily spoiled by the bed in the tribute center? Here there were no drums or owls, only the distant sounds of insects.

Korra was waiting and watching. She was in the forest by the river, the very same she had spared in during training. The dragon had lived through the first day. She was waiting for him now. Every noise, every call of an animal, put her nerves on edge. When it finally came for her she reacted just as much out of panic as anticipation.

At first it was a blurr of movement. An arm swiped past where she had been standing only the moment before. When her vision focused she realized she wasn't facing the dragon at all. The boy was bigger than her with blank white eyes. From his throat the arrow was still deeply lodged. Dried blood crusted around his mouth and left little streams that pooled on his shirt.

Korra screamed as he lunged at her with his dull can opener.

The cry had leaked into reality and she found herself sitting up on the metal floor. Her heart was pounding and her forehead was wet with cold sweat. She held her hands in front of her trying to see them in the dark. They were shaking. She tried to force them to stop. Only day one and she was shaking.

Get it together. She told herself. She couldn't let the other careers see her like this. And the warriors at home. They couldn't see their career shell shocked and cowering after a single kill. But Asami? Korra could shake her head at the thought. She would have said the dream made her more human. The fear. The regret. What place did they have in these games?

With a heavy sigh Korra dropped a hand just behind her. She needed to get back to sleep. But when her hand felt something wet and slipped she brought it back up. Who had spilled something next to her.

That was when the smell hit her. It wasn't an unfamiliar one. She had noticed it on hunters almost every time they returned to the tribe. Her father would often smell the worse. He had always liked to carry the kill home himself.

Blood. Blood and death was next to her. Thick, stinking blood that pooled around the dead tribute from district one. It already soaked into her hair and clothes.

"Korra!" The should had come with a blinding light from a flashlight. She couldn't see who was holding it. Around her she could feel the other tributes waking up. The beam of light fell on Chee. Her body was cut in a dozen places and her throat slashed through. Again the light turned on Korra.

"You killed her!"


	11. Chapter 11

See I know how to get a story up on time. Happy Hunger games tuesday!

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"Korra killed Chee!" The flashlight's holder shouted

"No I didn't." She could already hear Archer's bow being drawn.

"Better kill her now," Archer said, "Get the traitor out of the way."

"Agreed." Korra recognized Yong's voice that time. He was dangerously close behind her. Fire illuminated the entire room as he threw it at her. Korra barely had the time to bring the water to shield her from the blow. It became steam as the two elements connected.

"Are you crazy?" She said jumping to her feet, "You'll burn all the supplies."

"Guys stop it." Wei shut off his flashlight. Darkness flooded the interior of the cornucopia until Yong lit a flame in his hands. "We don't know Korra did this for sure."

"You_ just_ said she did," Archer noted.

"And she's covered in Chee's blood." Yong growled in agreement.

"How about we get some real light in here and we'll start making decisions." Wei suggested "We don't want to take out our nine on the first night."

Archer slowly relaxed her bow arm. "The second I think it's you . . ." She didn't need to finish her threat.

"Look, I just woke up." Korra threw her defense, poor as it was,"I'm just as shocked as the rest of you." She raised her hands as if to say she was innocent. A drop of Chee's blood fell from the heel of her hand. She tried frantically to rub it off on her pants. "Maybe someone snuck in? Who was on watch?"

Wei raised a hand. "But no one did. It's one of you guys."

"Or it's you trying to blame Korra." Archer accused.

"We're supposed to be an alliance."

"You were supposed to be watching us."

"I'm just saying it was one of you. The rest I can't help with. I'm not calling anyone out."

"That's because you did it, four." Yong's voice was like the rumble of a polar bear dog's growl.

Korra decided it was best not to wait. There was an opening between Wei and the wall. The argument slowed things down but they still suspected her. Better to let them live with the real killer in their midst then let them kill her in his place.

Wei made a poor attempt to catch her as she bolted. His arms closed on open air. She skidded to a stop for a moment on the gravel for an instant as she choose a way to run. Like a bolt of lightning she was gone. A strange ball of grey blotted her vision where the flashlight had blinded her. She could barely see the iron walls that rose on either side of her. Fire crackled in the air around her. They had to be pursuing her.

Metal clashed against something.

Run faster. Don't look back. If they couldn't catch her then they couldn't hurt her.

She turned half a dozen corners before she lost track of which way she was running. The first signs of sunlight was beginning to appear along the walls. Had the gamemakers put her in a maze? The path was narrow and straight on either side. No place to find cover. No place to find water. Her lungs were beginning to burn. She could not run forever. Were they even still following her?

Finally she collapsed with her back against a metal corner. Her breathing was heavy and her heartbeat loud in her ears. How long had she been running? She could guess it had been at least two hours by how far down the walls the sunlight had traveled. She pulled water from the air for her to drink. It was much more dry than it had been the day before. She needed real water to hydrate her completely or risk exhausting herself further. Face Wei and the others like she was now and she'd be finished.

'I can't run anymore though.' She told herself regardless. That's what cowards do. She was a water tribe warrior. She could call her that proudly since she couldn't rightfully call herself the avatar without being killed. She needed to fight. She would stand her ground and defend herself.

All her resolve disappeared like mist under the sun when a bolt of lightning fell from the sky to land right next to her.

Panic welled in her as she tore further down the hallway. Had Yong found her? Had her been waiting on the wall to pick her off? How had he even gotten up there in the first place?

When the narrow pathways opened into a cluster of abandoned homes Korra could have sung with happiness. Choosing the closest one she darted inside and locked the door behind her.

Remembering the two tributes from the abandoned grocery store Korra took to searching the house. It was fairly small. A large living room with a small kitchen thrown in one corner. A sparsely furnished bedroom with a closet that did not open. It did have a bed and that was enough for Korra.

She fell on the mattress sending up clouds of dust. The game makers really went through the trouble of making dust for this bed! She coughed for a while before eventually settling. At least it was soft. She could pretend the blankets were the pelts of the water tribe.

There was only darkness when she finally fell asleep. Not even effort to wonder what she should do now. Without the protection of the other careers she was only prey. Fodder for stronger tributes. At least she could fight back. Fighting fodder. That sounded funny. What would her dad say if she called herself that?

A cannon blast woke her up. Who was dead? Who had killed? Get up. Don't be the next cannon.

It almost felt like those fears, those limitations, were nothing more than fragments of voiceless dreams. Now, fully awake, she could feel only what could be described as drive pulsing through her veins. There was a mirror mounted to a dresser against one wall. Korra could see all the dried blood in her hair. Some of it even stained the cloth strap of her necklace. Her fingertips touched the cool stone. Had she forgotten it was there?

"Ok," She said looking around. She wanted to find one of the capitalists cameras. She did not see one, but knew they were watching and picked a corner to talk to. She wanted Asami to hear her, "I know I'm alone. But it's ok. I haven't given up yet." The words were simple. They were all she could think of to say. Korra only hoped they were enough.

Korra was startled by the sound of clicking metal. There was someone at the door. But just as Korra went to investigate it swung open. Wei stood at the entrance with his hands raised defensively. Korra reached for water as she put her back to the wall in the room. She could feel it in the air still, but more was waiting in the pipes in the walls. Most of it converged into the closet in her bedroom.

Korra felt the water form in the wall at her back as she summoned it. She wanted to be ready the moment he came too close. One blow to the side of the head. That was all it would take. A spike of ice to break the skull would be best. Sharp like an arrow. Would he bleed like the can opener boy?

Footsteps came closer. Were they close enough? No. they stopped. "Korra?"

Korra stayed silent. Her grip tightened. Should she attack?

"Korra come on? I thought you weren't like this. I'm a friend remember?"

Was he challenging her or toying with her? And what was she doing? Cowering like a child. That wasn't what warriors do.

She swung around the corner bringing the water from the wall with her. Seeing her Wei dropped to one knee and raised his forearms to shield from the blast. Already she positioned her next blow. Three shards of ice poised close to his head. Even with his defensive position at least one would hit. Then why didn't she just do it?"

Wei was quiet for a moment then asked, "Are you finished?"

"Maybe?"

"I'm a friend Korra, trust me. I even helped you back there."

"After you almost got me killed."

"I made a mistake."

"Where are the other careers?"

"Less than organized. Yong still holds the cornucopia. After he fired on Xie she took off."

"Xie?"

"You know," He did an impression of someone shooting a bow.

"Oh, her. She's alive?"

"As far as I knew. But there was a cannon earlier so who can say for sure." More comfortable around her Wei stood although he kept his hands raised as if to assure her. "What did you do with your friend?"

"What friend?"

"That boy from your district?"

"I haven't seen him since the cornucopia."

"But he's here."

"I've looked through this whole place. If he was here I would have seen him." After a moment of thinking she added, "And I was asleep. He would have killed me."

"Then you're lucky _and_ you don't pay attention."

"You don't pay attention." Korra snapped back. Who was he to judge? This was her safehouse not his. What did he know about it?"

"What about the bathroom? Did you check there?"

"There isn't one. Just the main room and the bedroom. The closet door doesn't open."

Wei glared at her, "Korra, that's a bathroom." Wei's blank face would have made her laugh if it wasn't her he was looking at.

"Well, how would I know?" Silently she tried to think of how he would know too.

"You thought the game makers would make a complete city but make a house without a bathroom?"

Korra decided to ignore him at that point and head to the door. She banged on it with a fist. "Come on out kid! We know you're in there." No one answered.

"You really think he's going to come out knowing there are two careers on the other side?"

Korra adjusted her stance. "Come out or, or we'll break the door."

"Go away!" The kid shouted. He really was in there. "You said you were going to leave me alone."

"I am but . . . but," She struggled to find the words, "Wei here wants to talk to you."

"Well I don't want to talk to him."

Something clicked. Metal. Wei's wrist was twisted at an odd angle, his fingers bent in like claws. Was that how metalbenders opened doors? Still controlling the door he forced in open with a thrust of his hands.

The boy was ready with a counter attack. Waves of water he had been storing in the bathtub poured over the open door. He tried to encase his attackers in ice but Korra quickly reverted it back to a liquid. How had she gone this long without knowing he was a bender?

"This isn't going to end well for you." Wei told him. The kid dropped to one knee. A strong defensive stance non-benders often used. "Just let this happen."

"His name is Tukun." Korra barely heard the words. They were still enough to stop her. She didn't know the name but it sounded water tribe. Beside her Wei tensed. His green eyes darted between her and the boy. Did he suspect a trap?

"I don't know that name." Korra told him.

"Of course you don't." This time there was a fury to him, "He's just a kid. Small like me. He has more northern tribe in him then the rest of us. He'll be turning eight soon."

"My brother would be turning nineteen this year," Wei told him, "No one cares about that now that he's dead."

"But my brother isn't dead. You know him you just don't know that you do. You're wearing the token he gave you."

Korra lashed out with a whip. The boy tumbled back then took his footing again. "Asami gave me this, liar."

"She missed her chance didn't she? She was too busy being mad at you for volunteering that she forgot to give it to you. But my mom asked if there was anything we could do for her. She gave that necklace to my brother to give to you."

"So?"

"I was already a lost cause the moment you volunteered. She wanted to get on your girlfriend's good side. Maybe my family could be less embarrassed if we were."

"You've lasted longer than half the other tributes,"

"Literally," Wei added,

"That's good. Even if you did just hide in a, uh, bathroom the whole time."

"It's not good enough." He shook his head. "I have to beat you at some point. It might as well be now."


	12. Chapter 12

I dont think I have anything more to bother you about today. . . . Happy Hunger Games Tuesday

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Chapter 12

The kid lunged at her with a stream of water forced ahead of him. Korra bent it to one side. The wave became a whip at her touch.

The boy was already at her. He swiped at her with one hand, his fingers bent like claws. Korra stumbled back from the aggression of the attack.

Wei fell back against one wall. He forced a few chunks to throw at the boy. He struggled to dodge the chunks. The ceiling shook as it lost some of it's support.

"No don't," Korra told him, "You'll bring the whole place down. Besides. This is my fight." She spread her arms and smirked. She was daring him to hit her first. Would the capitalists watching like that?

He cried out when he charged for the grapple. His arms were small but dense. Maybe the game makers weren't far off when they made him so strong during her evaluation. She could feel the corded muscles she had never noticed before. Korra let herself roll back with his force. The tumble landed them by the bed. She pulled away enough to crack a punch at his gut.

Coughing he slid under the bed. It was unnatural the way he moved. "Quit hiding like a penguin kid," Korra taunted, "Where's that pride now?"

She felt it almost before she saw it. He had sprung from under the bed with enough force to fling the mattress her way. She hardly had enough time to realize it was moving, much less try to get out of its way. The dusty heap knocked her back, crashing her into the nightstand and mirror. Pain erupted where her back had struck the wood. Clouds of dust chocked her and stung her eyes.

She heard Wei call her name as she felt the added weight on the mattress. It pressed hard against her chest as she fought and finally forced it off her. Still coughing dust she fled the room.

"Where do you think you're going nine?" He said mocking her score.

"Getting away from your toy, four." She snapped back. Yes it had occurred to her that his score was the same as his district. She lunged for the grapple before he could. She was fast this time, her hits hard. With a grip on his wrists and a swing she threw him into the open area of the room.

Before he could stand she pulled water from the room to whip at him. She aimed for his face. He took hold of the whip when it was close enough. He twisted it around his body and threw the newly formed icicle at her. She could have stooped it. That would have slowed her down. Instead she dove to one side and let it sail past her. It shattered on impact against the wall. Korra rolled with her landing and sprang easily to her feet.

The boy followed her dodging movement to keep the two facing each other. Then he turned and ran. "Now who's running?" Korra laughed as he tucked into the tiny kitchen corner. He pulled a knife from one of the drawers. With one practiced motion the knife was sailing blade first towards her. It didn't hit straight on but it tore her shirt, drawing blood at her side. Even Korra couldn't hold back some kind of groan of pain.

It clattered on the floor and Korra turned for it. She scooped it up before leaping over the back of a couch. What was happening? Was she running from him? No, just making sure he couldn't use the knife again.

By the time she landed on the other side of the couch she turned. The boy was on her. He threw a spear of ice she blocked with a cushion of the couch. When she lowered her fluffy shield he was leaping over the back of the couch. He hit her with the force of a polar bear dog. His hands were a flurry of claws trying to tear at her in any way he could. One hand always reached for her knife.

The boy was mad at this point. His eyes were on fire. If it wasn't for his smaller size alone Korra wouldn't have been able to reverse the hold he had on her. She straddled him, one hand holding his throat to the ground. His nails clawed against her hand. Her muscles were hard and hot. Her blood burned. The fight was hers. He was hers. The kill. The kill was hers too. All she had to do was drop the knife. His heart was there. Open. Unprotected.

She closed her eyes and sucked one last breath. Metal struck flesh with a sickly sound. Korra's hand on his throat trembled. She could feel tears welling in the corners of her closed eyes. He was still under her. Relieved and exhausted she let go of the blade. It clattered on the stone floor, shaking off the droplets of korra's blood.

Her eyes opened and she looked down on the limp body of the boy. His eyes looked up at her, still raging, still afraid of her. She had not made the kill. The final blow had been to the side of his head. A hole had been made there and his life blood leaked through it pooling around him. Wei stood at the door to the bedroom. He nodded.

A cannon broke their silence.

"I never even learned his name."

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veeery short chapter. I know. Love all of you. Keep doing that reviewing thing that you're doing. I love it.


	13. Chapter 13

Happy Hunger Games Tuesday! Don't forget to review and such ;)

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Hg 13

"We should go." Wei told her.

"No." Korra shook her head. Her wolf tail struck her in the face with the motion. "You go ahead. I'm, I'm just going to be here a little while."

"Fine." Wei started to head out then stopped when he reached the door. "Head east when you're done. There's a safe place there. I'm sure you'll find it just fine." Korra only nodded to acknowledge it with a raised hand and he headed outside. She heard the door lock with his bending behind him.

Korra sat on the floor by a wall. She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She needed to hold something right then. She wished Asami was there. She buried her head in the fold of her arms for a moment. They were coming, the tears she hated so much. Knowing her eyes couldn't be seen by the camera a few escaped but the fight to keep them from becoming sobs still raged in her. Don't change your breathing. Don't let your shoulders bounce. When the urge passed she lifted her head. She was careful to wipe away the water from her face on her arms in a way she hoped the cameras wouldn't notice.

"Hey kid." She said. Was her voice even enough? Could he hear her? Could his spirit hear her at least. Or worse had it reincarnated somewhere else in the world. Would this new life be forced to fight in these games twelve years from now. No, don't think about those things. "You did good, you know that? I mean you weren't good enough to win, we both knew that. But you were good enough to try. Couldn't have asked for more than that right?" He didn't answer. Korra sat there in silence for a while. She felt like she was supposed to say something else. What could she say to a boy she deliberately refused to learn his name?

She knew his brother's name though. Tukun he called him. She could at least remember Tukun.

Korra left the room and headed outside, repeating the name over and over in her head. Tukun. The boy who gave her the betrothal necklace. His face was a lot like the kid's, a little softer though. She thought his eyes had a little bit of a shine to them though. Tears maybe? He was young enough he could have cried and not have been mocked for it.

_Focus._ She was supposed to be headed east. The sun was setting, but the stars could still lead her the right way even after the light was gone. There was even a gravel path to follow lined with straight, rectangle bushes for some reason. Was the shape of their plants something the capitalists felt the need to worry about?

Sudden music made her jump. Three of the bushes wilted as she drew the water from her leaves in her surprise. Above the sky lit up as the logo of the capitol glowed in the clouds. She saw Chee tonight. She looked beautiful again without the scowl and sharp angry eyes. The girl from Wei's district was next. Korra wondered if she knew the girl too. Had he been the one to kill her? He didn't have any trouble killing Tukun's brother when she couldn't drop her knife into him. He was the last one to be shown. Korra almost looked away before the image of the girl from ten replaced it. The song faded and the sky became dark again.

She heard a noise behind her as she left the little neighborhood. The gamemakers had come to claim Tukun's brother's body. When they left the houses went dark. Korra waited for her eyes to adjust before continuing.

"Wei!" She whispered harshly into the dark. He told her she would know where to go. Did he not realize that it was dark? How was she supposed to find anything? The urge to light a flame in her hand sprang but she fought it down. The cameras would see her in the dark she was sure of it.

"You shouldn't be so loud." She tried to turn as soon as she heard the voice. He was already behind her, one arm coiled around her torso. The other held a dagger of fire close to her throat. "How about you just be quiet for a while."

Korra tried to twist away but his grip held like fire. Was Yong really that strong? She couldn't use her arms to bend with them pinned at her sides like they were. A kick with her heel might be enough to free her, but could she be fast enough afterward to keep from being killed by his dagger? It was a gamble she probably wouldn't win.

"You're better at this than I thought you'd be." He said. Korra could almost hear his smile.

"Let me go and you'll see how good I am." Korra hissed.

"We're going to go over here instead." He pulled her backwards. Korra would not walk with him. She let her body fall limp and her heels drag into the gravel walkway. Her captor grunted as he tightened her grip but did not slow down by any means. He pulled her through one of the bushes and Korra was glad at the way her body left dents in the leaves and branches. Maybe someone would see it later.

A ceiling blocked out the sky. Some kind of cavern? No, the entrance was too perfect and narrow and square. She didn't feel the slick, damp stone of a cave either. It was flat and straight like a metal floor. It stung a bit when he dropped her body and she fell heavily on her butt. She ignored the sting and leapt to her feet.

A blaze of fire lit the tiny pile of wood in the center of the room. There were a few supply packs against the wall, a container of drinking water leaning against them. Korra fought to ignor them even though the idea of whatever food might be inside them made her stomach hurt.

In front of her stood the Dragon of Republic City. He didn't even defend against her. One hand rested on his hip like he was waiting for her to continue some conversation they were having. The other hand held a flame but it was small. She noticed he was wearing a red scarf. Had he been wearing it before?

"Mako?" Why was that the only thing she managed to say? She had a thousand other questions.

"Why so hostile?" He asked, "I thought we had an alliance?"

"A what?"

"Don't you remember? First day of training?"

"I said I'd think about it."

"Ok, well, if you don't want to." He raised his hands in fists close to his face. It wasn't a stance Korra recognized but she doubted it was anything submissive. Little flames danced on his knuckles.

"That's not what I meant." Korra waved for him to stop. When he did she continued, "But I didn't know we had an alliance. You stopped talking to me."

"Did you want the other careers to know we were working together?"

"Well, no." Korra sighed, "But it would have been nice for me to know." How many hours had she put into being worried about what the dragon would do when she faced him in battle again? How many times had she thought about how fast he was or how strong? And now all of that, useless. Useless unless he turned against her.

"Either way it works out." Mako shrugged. Korra settled beside the fire just as he did on the other side of it. The floor here was metal but someone had gone through a lot of trouble to fill the area by the fire with sand. It was a little more comfortable than solid metal, yes, but it kept getting into Korra's boots and being generally irritating. Still it felt nice to be beside a real fire again. She felt herself longing to cook something over it like she had the day before and realized she hadn't eaten since she ran from the careers.

"Have you been here this whole time?" Korra finally picked a question to ask.

"Wei helped cut this place out of the labyrinth walls. Brought in the sand too. He's not much of a sandbender actually, but he makes it work."

"He works with you too?"

"He works with both of us now." Mako nodded, "He's one of the good guys."

"He almost got me killed." Korra grumbled, some good guy he was. But then again he did help her with Tukun's brother. "How many 'friends' of yours should I be worried about?"

"Just him." Mako shook his head. "The rest of them would have been a waste of time. Are you tired?"

Korra shook her head. The image of Chee's bleeding body was still hauntingly fresh in her mind. She wasn't about to fall asleep in front of someone she didn't fully trust. "I slept earlier. Do you have any food though?"

Mako rummaged in a bag and brought out a bar of lumpy chocolate. "Not too fast." He advised as half the bar disappeared into her mouth. Any other day she would have complained. The chocolate was too dark, the nuts weren't salted enough. Right now though it was the best kind she ever had. The other half was gone in the next bite.

"I guess what they say is true," Mako said leaning back against the wall, "Water tribe really do have the manners of polar bear dogs."

"At least I have enough manners to talk during meals."

"I'm not quiet usually. I'm just paying attention."

"To what?"

"Well for one, you eating like a polar bear dog." Korra tossed handful of sand at him.

"Watch it. Polar bear dogs can be pretty nasty when they want to be.

"Whatever you say," Mako sighed brushing some of the sand from his hair and scarf. It made Korra all sorts of happy to see him brushing some out of his mouth too, but Mako didn't say anything or complain about it to her. She wished he did. "I'm going to sleep for a while. There's a place for you too over there if you get tired." He motioned to a spot where the sand was smooth and there were no big chunks or clumps of rocks. Korra found it easier to lay on than the floor of the cornucopia.

She didn't want to close her eyes. Mako had to still be awake. He had closed those amber eyes of his and stopped moving for a while but that didn't mean anything. Maybe she should keep watch at the door. The sand wasn't comfortable anyway. It was like sleeping in hard snow, but that doesn't make sense. She still missed the pelts. How long would it be before she stopped missing pelts?

She felt a sharp pain in her side before she realized that she had fallen asleep. It had to be Mako making his move. She sprang away from the touch practically throwing herself against the wall. "Get away from me!" She cried as she did.

"A little jumpy this morning aren't we?" Mako smiled. In his hands he wasn't holding a knife, but a normal stick.

"Don't _do_ that."

"It's time to go. Get something to eat so we can move."

"Why? Can't we just stay here? This place seems safe enough. We can wait for the others to pick themselves off."

"Yong's holed up in the cornucopia firing at anything that comes close. Who knows what happened to Xie but it sounds like she's trying to get at his supplies. Wei's getting the other girl hiding in the city. That leaves both tributes from eight and seven to us." Korra remembered those broad shoulders from seven.

"What makes you think we'll find them?"

"You ran into the boy from four didn't you?" Mako shrugged, "The game makers have a way of bringing people together if they don't do it on their own."

"So where do we look?" Korra asked not wanting to linger on the subject of Tukun's brother.

"The edge of the city isn't far from here. From there there's a forest that's bound to have plenty of places to hide. There's probably going to be some kind of body of water out there too."

"Like a river maybe?" Korra said excitedly. She could defend herself much easier there.

"Maybe," Mako said like he was talking to a child "Somewhere in the forest. Did you think the arena was nothing but abandoned city terrain?" Korra didn't manage to answer before he finished, "What fun would that be?"

"Lets just go." Korra pushed to her feet and brushed herself off. Mako pulled one of the packs over his shoulders and tightened it. When Korra reached for one Mako told her to leave it.

"Better for you not to be weighed down." He told her. Mako did give her a water skin to wear. He filled it with some of the drinking water and passed it to her. Korra slung it by her hip and smiled. Did she look like Katara all those years ago?

Mako took the lead, heading the way Korra had been going the night before. Korra looked back and saw the entrance to their cavern. It was nestled in the very corner of one of the walls partially covered by the surrounding bushes. It wasn't so far out of the way that it couldn't be found, but someone wouldn't likely stumble on it on accident.

The moon and the dragon walked for more than an hour in complete silence. Their footsteps on gravel was louder than any other sound they made. Korra tried to be quiet with him. This was, after all, a hunt and what more did hunts require than silence. A few exasperated sighs managed to escape her every now and then.

When the sun reached the top of the sky the ground very suddenly became grass. On both sides of them the walls turned sharply away to encase the city. An open stretch of grass disappeared into the forest Mako had mentioned earlier.

Mako was the first to start into it. Korra followed much more hesitantly. Of course they were headed into a forest. What did she know of that kind of terrain? Nothing. Nothing except for the brief moments in the sparing chamber. Well, if Mako was looking for a repeat of that then she would have to make sure he didn't have the chance.


	14. Chapter 14

Super late on Hunger games tuesday again. But dang it because its still Tuesday so its a win. Throwing it out there next week I might not be able to make it. We've had some pretty bad news on the home front. But we will be back don't you all get all afraid on me. Keep reviewing and this will never die. Happy Hunger Games!

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Hg 14

Korra's main focus was the lake she hoped they were heading towards. If she could reach it maybe she stood a chance. Korra glanced at Mako at the thought of it. He had been nothing but helpful to her so far. Maybe it might not have been long, but he had perfect the perfect opportunity last night to take her out. How easily would she be able to turn on him when the time came?

Don't think about it, she finally decided. Focus on getting through the forest with him. Mako's eyes looked as nervous as an arctic squirrel in a wolf's den. But when he walked his stride was smooth and even. He walked like a fearless warrior. Korra could almost admire that.

Korra tripped on an outstretched root. She caught herself before her chest hit the ground. Her heart was already pounding as the boom of a cannon shook the leaves from the trees. Mako had not moved to catch her but his hands were raised and ready to strike back. Why did he stand the way he did? His weight balanced on the balls of his feet. The stance was all wrong.

"Let's hope Wei found who he was looking for." Mako said pushing deeper into the forest.

It took less than five minutes of walking for Korra to decide she didn't like the forest at all. The branches and leaves were everywhere, scratching at her pant legs and wolf tails. Bushes and clumps of brambles formed long walls that hung between trees. Korra learned quickly that most of them were armed with hooked thorns that clung to her clothes and tore at her exposed arms.

"What is this place?" Korra growled using her bending to break a branch with a loud snap. "How much longer until we get to the lake?"

"I haven't been down here remember?" Mako sighed, "Now be quiet and stop complaining. Korra was this close to snapping at him again. How did he even know there was a lake this way then? But would that have solved anything?

Korra tried to focus on being silent. Silence and patience are the hunters greatest weapon, her father had told her. He had taken her hunting in the water tribe plenty of times before. She knew how to walk so the snow didn't crunch so loudly. She knew how to find the right trails to follow. She knew how to use the snowfall to hide her scent. None of that mattered with every movement was met with a thousand rustling leaves. Between the leaves and the clattering branches overhead the entire place was a circus of noise.

"The trainers taught me how to make some traps." Korra suggested after at least three hours had passed. At least she thought it was three hours. The trees had a way of blocking the sun and the shadows they cast were strange to her.

"I doubt you can make a trap and walk at the same time." Mako told her as he held a branch out of her way for her to pass.

"Well we'd stop for a little while. At the very least it wouldn't hurt. The lake isn't going anywhere,"

"Not that you know of." Mako interrupted her.

"The gamemakers are not going to relocate a lake."

He shrugged, "I'm just saying you don't know."

"Forget it." Korra pushed past him.

Mako did stop though after not much further of walking. There was a place where the ground was relatively clear of random debris. A little brushing and they could actually see the dark soil the layer of dead leaves had been hiding. It was even big enough Korra could put together a small fire. Korra even enjoyed watching the brambles burn. Stupid thorns. They deserved to die.

Mako, who had left to collect real wood to burn, told her to quit burning the brambles. While she kept the fire stocked he took the thorny vines and encircled their clearing. At the very least it would slow down someone trying to get into their little fort. Korra wished she had thought of it first.

Korra stretched out on her back and looked up at the canopy of leaves above her head. Only a few hours and she already missed the sky. She wondered how she would see the announcements about the cannon blast through the leaves.

"Aren't you supposed to be making a trap?" Mako's voice pulled her from the thought. He sat with one knee raised propping up his elbow. He ran a knife along a branch to sharpen one end of it. When did he get a knife again?

Korra dug through the supply bag mako har brought. In the training arena rope had been readily available, but here she found only water, sparkrocks, and a little food. What did a firebender need sparkrocks for anyway? She had almost gone without making it before Mako suggested she use tendrils from nearby brambles instead. They were nice and thick and while they didn't compare to the rope from before they were still strong enough for her to work with. It took another hour for her to set up the first trap properly and place it outside their walls. By then her hands were sore from the thorns.

The sun had finally begun to set by the time Mako brought out some of the food. Meat, rabbit squirrel by the look of it. It didn't taste all that different than the artic rabbit she was used too to be honest. Mako left as she ate. The sticks he had been sharpening were finished. Half a hundred spears were placed around their thorns to further push away attackers. He climbed a tree to be able to jump over their wall. Korra set herself to putting out the fire and assembled a new stack of wood in case they needed it the next day.

When darkness finally fell the projection lit the leaves of the trees. The image was distorted by the overlapping branches and shadows but Korra could make out the face of the boy from district three. Wei had hit his target. Now as far as they knew the cornucopia was nothing more than an arena for the careers that chose to live there.

"Do you think we should head back?" Korra suggested, "We shouldn't leave him in there with the other careers."

"He volunteered to stay there." Mako shook his head. "It's not about him winning at this point. He's good, but not good enough to handle both of them at once. He'll keep them occupied at the very least. If he can manage to keep them separated maybe he can get to Xie. But he'll keep them from working together which will buy us some time."

"Do you really think he stands a chance?" Korra settled into a little place in the soil she had cleared. "I mean, he is still a Beifong."

"Wing and Wei Beifong were the inventors of power disk." Mako sat with his back to the wall he had built. His gaze seemed distant almost looking through the small unlit stack of wood. "It's a metalbending game that requires a lot of power, precision, and skill in bending. Why shouldn't I trust him because of his name?"

"I saw the games his brothers played in. It just seems like-"

"One of his brothers is an artist, the other just an engineer. As much hype as the capital put into them no one really thought they could win. And Wei has a sister too, a non-bender who will probably be torn apart in here. Wing will volunteer for her if it comes to that."

"Like you did for your brother?" Korra shifted onto her stomach.

"You would have done it for a sister," Mako looked at her then shrugged, "if you had one at least. But that girl-"

"Asami."

"Asami." Mako nodded, "Try to tell me you wouldn't have done it for her."

Korra wouldn't disagree but instead said, "Her father is Hiroshi Sato, the guy who runs Future Industries. He would have done anything to make sure his daughter is never in that glass ball. Besides, I would have been in here one way or another."

"You're so sure about that?"

"My dad won his games. Kids of previous winners always seem to have the bad luck in the reapings. Just like the Beifongs."

"Right," Mako looked back at the wood pile, "And I'm sure that only has to do with luck."

"Since we were so sure we'd be in the games we figured I might as well be ready for it. Train up for it. Become a carrier."

"And Asami's ok with that?"

"Not really." Korra was able to laugh a little at the memory now, "She actually hit me after I volunteered. Pretty hard too." Korra touched the place where Asami had hit her. Was she expecting it to sting after so many days? "What about your brother? He couldn't have been alright with how you did it?"

"It can be hard to tell what Bolin really thinks. He's one of those optimistic types. He didn't like it, but he was all talk about how I'm the best firebender he knows. He's sure I'm coming back to him in a few weeks."

"And are you?"

Mako was silent for a few moments. In the darkness of the forest he was little more than silhouette and shadow but Korra could almost feel his scrutiny as he looked at her. "There's a very good chance."

Mako didn't say anything more. He just rested his head on his arm, Korra assumed that was how he was going to sleep. Wasn't he uncomfortable? Korra pushed herself to sit up. Why did she feel cold and uncomfortable. And what chance had he been considering?

Did he think he would be able to kill her so easily? No, that couldn't have been right? They had only been talking. He seemed genuine in everything he said, he felt like a good person. Remember this is a game to the death no matter how it's looked at. One way or another she and him would become enemies.

Korra brought a small amount of water from her bag. She felt it harden between her fingertips as the dagger of ice formed. It was a very small piece but one touch with the tip of her finger confirmed how sharp it was. One carefully placed thrust and all this worry about alliances and traitors would be over. She had already been betrayed by one alliance so far.

Remember where the heart is. Slide through the ribs and she'd have an easy kill. It doesn't make for much of a show as far as the capitalists cared. She wondered how boring they must have thought Chee's death was.

Korra closed her eyes for a second. It wouldn't matter if she did it now or not. After Mako there were still other tributes hiding in the woods. She would need Mako to help find them. He was a lot smarter than she imagined. The amount he knew about the tributes, Wei especially, was proof of that. And he knew so much about the arena itself while Korra knew only that there was a city and surrounding forest. For now he was the best tool she could have on her side.

Korra brought her palms together and the dagger became liquid in her hands. She brought it to her lips and drank the cold water before wiping the damp off on her pants. She'd still kill him, that much she couldn't debate any more. Mako was good for her for the time being, but sooner or later how smart he is will be his biggest advantage. She just wouldn't do it yet. Not yet. Once the forest is empty she would. She'd meet back up with Wei, tell him one of the other tributes killed him. She'd let Wei help her take care of the other tributes and then she'd finish with him. Power Disk or not he's still a Beifong. He's bound to mess up.

Korra let herself smile as she settled back down beside the wood pile. For the first time since coming here she had a plan. A plan she had made on her own and a plan that could work. All she had to do was keep Mako on her side for a few more days.


	15. Chapter 15

Yes yes. I know. A day late. But I'm in the middle of a big move so things should be smooth sailing until the story's end. So lets not dwell on the past too much shall we? Happy Hunger games!

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The next morning was met with more resistance than Korra had planned. They hadn't been attacked and they hadn't lost their supplies or anything. In fact it was exactly the opposite. Korra looked around her. Walls up to her chest made of thick, thorny brambles surrounded her. Beyond them sharpened branches widened their boarders even further. Trees blocked out the sky. And dotted around them small traps promised to take out an unlucky intruder with hardly any effort.

Why _should_ they leave in the first place.

Mako was too focused on his goals. Reach the lake. Hunt the others. He pressed his agenda against hers like a soldier following orders. But Korra laid back against a tree within their little fort. If he wanted to leave he was welcome to. She however would stay. Catching the other tributes would be that much harder without her help. It took most of the morning and finally Mako settled near her with a heavy sigh.

Korra settled into making more traps. Mako started to help her in the beginning but instead left to gather more supplies. For a while Korra worried that he might not come back. He did of course carrying wood, vines, and the fairly burned carcass of a rabbit. By the end of the night they were picking their teeth with the bones of the rabbit.

For the most part Mako preferred to work in silence. He sharpened branches, stocked the fire, prepared kills for cooking, and maintained the fort almost entirely without a single word. It hadn't exactly made Korra comfortable. It reminded her too much of their time in the training area when she doubted his every intention. Should she be doubting it now?

Korra practically forced him to talk to her as she helped him dress a squirrel. She was from the water tribe. Hunting and related practices came much more naturally to her than it did to him. Her father had made sure of that. But even she had to give him some kind of credit because he never had any hesitation when it came to burrowing his fingers into raw flesh. Weren't city boys squeamish?

For a time they switched places. Mako guarded the supplies and the fort while making a few traps to set around while Korra hunted for more supplies and food. Korra admired Mako's precision when it came to hunting. Most of his kills were made by a shot of flame through the chest. Clean of a kill as it was it tended to damage a lot of the meat though. Korra preferred a quick slice, a stream of water so sharp it cut through the throat in an instant.

The thought disturbed Korra how she was able to kill a squirrel or rabbit or even on a single instance a fox, without a second thought. If there was even the slightest hesitation it came more out of being sure her kill was clean then doubting her actions. Yet not a night went by that she didn't see Tukun's brother dying under her. Why were humans so difficult?

On the fourth day they ran out of drinking water. For a while Korra was worried their only option would be to head for the lake again. Korra could hardly stand the idea. How many little traps had she scattered around here? She had lost count, and all would go to waste. Korra spent half the morning waiting for the argument to start up as Mako set to digging a hole. She almost laughed at it until he showed her the water under the surface of the soil pooling. There was more than enough she could bend and supply them until the end of the games if she had to.

After the fifth day a cannon echoed through the trees. When night came Korra watched the leaves above their shelter nervously until the capitol displayed the image of the girl from district seven. Wei was alright. At least for one more day.

"Tell me about your brother?" Korra finally said after the girl's face disappeared. If the two kept going in this quiet she was going to lose her mind.

Mako shrugged as he settled into a little bed made of the tiny pelts of their kills. They weren't as soft as the ones her mother prepared, and the scent of death still clung to some of their furs, but Korra had done her best. "He's a brother." Mako finally answered, "He can be annoying and naïve, but hes a good kid. Takes after our dad more."

"Is he a firebender? You know, like you?"

"An earthbender actually." Mako shook his head, "He's better than he realizes but he's too nice for these games. He doesn't have it in him to kill someone. It'd tear him apart."

Korra's heart sank at his words. A person who couldn't kill didn't belong in the games. She almost didn't even hear when Mako asked, "What about your girl? Asami, you said her name was?"

"Actually there's a different girl I've been worried about."

"Don't you save any girls for the boys in your tribe?"

Korra smiled. "No, she's not a girlfriend. But she is my best friend. Her name's Naga. So far though you're the only one I've told about her. Not even my parents know about her."

"They do now." Mako reminded her pointing up to the trees. "Besides, why keep the secret? Is she from some other, rival water tribe?" He even waved his arms a bit in mocking, sarcastic worry.

"Actually, worse. She's a polar bear dog."

"That's not possible," Mako told her. He leaned forward and rested his head on his knuckles.

"Who are you to tell me what's possible? You've never met her."

"I don't have to meet a polar bear dog to know about them. They're untamable."

"Naga's just, well she's different. When I met her she was just a cub. Now she's grown and I know she looks big and scary but she's just as sweet as any domestic dog."

"So does Naga know where you are right now? Or what she's going to do when you don't come back?"

"Who said I wasn't?" Korra hoped she sounded just as confident as her first day standing at the justice building.

"I guess you'll have to explain this conversation to mommy and daddy when you get home then won't you?"

"Maybe it's easier this way. I would hate for a hunter to take a shot at her before I got to show her to the tribe. She's had some pretty close calls."

"Bolin, my brother, he has a fire ferret." Mako added as if the two things compared, "Named it Pabu."

"Well if Naga and I ever go to Republic City I'll make sure she doesn't eat him."

"I think Bolin'd like that." Mako chuckled, "It's too late for this. Head off to sleep. I'll take first watch."

The morning came with a snap. A scream. A girl. Definitely a girl. Mako was on his feet, fire already burning. Korra summoned water from their little well. The girl from eight was dangling just outside their fort. Her leg was caught in one of the traps Korra had placed. She thrashed and swung to try to grab the tendril that held her. The thorns kept her grip from holding.

"Good call on the thorns." Korra complimented as she watched.

"It wouldn't matter without the snare itself." Mako returned. Korra felt something warm in her face as he praised her. A pride that swelled in her chest. All of it went cold when he continued on, "Do you want to take this one then?"

Korra looked up at the girl. She had a rough face, dirty, and her eyes were wild and fearful. Korra wanted to take the water in her hands and slash it across her throat. It would have been easy. As easy as the rabbits she caught yesterday. She didn't have the same eyes of a rabbit. Instead she turned to Mako and said "You haven't gotten anyone this whole game. Why don't you take this one?"

Korra stepped back to watch the firebender from district four make his first kill of the games. It was one strong punch. Fire burst from his hand. It did not even hit the tribute but instead snapped the vine that held her. With a shriek she fell to the ground head first. There was a snap and then she was still. A cannon fired and Mako only nodded.

"So that's it?" Korra forced her voice to be even. "Do we just go back to bed?" She turned around when Mako grabbed her arm.

"Wait." He said, "Do you hear anything?"

Korra tilted her head. She could hear wind and leaves but nothing out of the ordinary

"No?"

"Normally the game makers would take her body wouldn't they? But they're not. Can you think of why?"

Korra looked up and pointed, "How do you plan on flying an airship through the trees?"

"You've seen the games before. Kills happen in forests and closed buildings all the time. Do you really think a tree would stop them?"

"Ok, that's my idea. How about you come up with something better team captain?"

"What if," Mako stopped. His head snapped to one side. Had he heard something Korra hadn't, "What if they're hoping to take more than one tribute with them?"

"How? Is someone-" She wouldn't need to finish asking. She was answered by the way he lurched. He groaned and collapsed in pain. His hand gripped his side where a knife had been lodged. Blood welled around the injury dripping down his skin and clothes.

"Mako!" Korra's first thought was to run to him. Maybe she couldn't catch him, he had already collapsed onto the ground. Maybe with her bending she could heal him and fast. How deep was his injury?

Korra was stopped by the boy who had thrown the knife to begin with. The boy from district seven, strong looking and tall. His face had already grown the first signs of hair since she had first seen him in the training arena. He had the shoulders of a district seven boy, broad and thick with arms to match. He tried to hold her with those arms, pin her to the side of a tree.

Korra spun, twisting his grip and shaking him off. She pushed him with his momentum towards their fort. He stumbled and dropped to one knee before he would have hit the wall of thorns. He lashed out with an arm and the thorns came to life.

Korra gasped as the vines that had once promised to protect her wrapped around her wrist. The tiny little hooks dug into her bare skin. As the plantbender slowly closed his fist the vines tightened around her. Unbalanced Korra fell to one side and Eight retreated into the fort.

With his grip on her lessened Korra lashed out with her bending water to tear the vines off of her. With a roar Korra charged after him into the fort. There she found him crouched over their supply packs tearing out its contests one at a time.

"There's no food in there if that's what you're looking for." Korra said smugly.

His head snapped up and he glared at her in surprise. Did he really not expect her to break out of his little thorn trap? "I've never had the chance to plantbend before," Korra laughed as she twisted her arms. Out of her drinking hole a stream of water encircled the tribute before encasing her in ice. "Lets see how good you are with ice swamp boy."

"Better than you." He snapped, melting it just as Korra charged. She decided not to bother holding back at all. She threw her entire body against him, wrapping her arms around his chest and clinging to him as they both tumbled backwards. For a moment Korra could not even tell which of them had the upper hand. He was just as focused on getting away from her as he was beating her. Korra only wanted to win this round.

Korra felt her chest heaving when she felt him heavily hit the ground under her. One of her hands pressed the side of his head against the ashes of her fire pit. He thrashed and wiggled under her and screamed obscenities. Korra only held him there. What was she supposed to do now? Kill him?

While Korra hesitated he twisted in a way Korra didn't expect. He lashed out with a hand that felt more like claws. Nails trailed over her face. Korra winced as she felt her skin grow hot.

He scrambled away in a desperate panic. When he was a few feet away he turned and looked at her. Both of them only watched each other. His green eyes looked confused, fearful even. "What?" he turned and bolted out of the fortress like a rabbit out of a trap.

"Hey!" Korra shouted and gave chase. The hunt was slower in the forest. Every branch tried to slow her down. Dead leaves slipped under her feet. She couldn't stop though, and neither would the boy apparently.

"Get away!" He shouted over his shoulder after he cleared a fallen log. "Get away! I don't want to hurt you!"

"That's not going to work," Korra panted calling his bluff. He did have to die one way or another right?

"No! Stop! I don't want-" His pleas were cut off very suddenly as his body disappeared from view entirely. Korra skidded to a halt just before she tumbled over the same edge that claimed him.

A wide pit opened in front of her. The walls of it were enforced by the roots of the surrounding trees. They formed a thick, knotted wall and a crooked stairway stretched from one end. The middle of it looked clean enough. It was nothing more than damp soil and a few curled up ferns scattered across it. The swampbender was collapsed in a pile of strewn debris that must have once kept his little home secret. How long had he been buried under soil like a spider waiting for some unsuspecting tribute to cross him? Now he had fallen into his own trap and his body was broken in several places. Korra doubted that he could even walk.

Korra just stayed there at the edge for too long. A whip could end his pain quickly. She had done it before when one of the hunting dogs were injured after a particularly dangerous outing. Korra closed her eyes and flicked her wrist. The water whip lashed down at him but what struck him wasn't much more than a cold splash.

"I'm sorry you have to feel this way." Korra said, she felt like she should say something. Otherwise she was just standing at the edge of a hole while her prey suffered. Did he think she was taunting him, gloating over her victory? This had to be a nice show for the capital, seeing him slowly bleed out. She could fight him, make him bleed, break his bones, but she couldn't take his life.

"It doesn't matter." He whimpered, "You have to win this….. The spirits . . . I can feel the spirits."

Korra left him to his babbling. If the spirits could help him die more peacefully then so be it. Korra didn't know much about them at all. Some avatar she was.

She headed back to where she left mako. He hadn't moved much since he had been injured. His breath was shallow and he pressed against his injury with one hand. The blade still stuck into his side through his fingers. Take it out and the blood would only be worse. His face was already pale enough. Korra debated using the water from their drinking hole to heal him, but perhaps it was best to finish him here. At the very least she didn't have to help him did she?

No, that wasn't in the plan. She needed him still, just for now. But that little amount of drinking water might not be enough. Once that knife was removed there would be more blood than she could handle. Maybe if she could find more water she could control it.

Korra hooked Mako's arm over her shoulders and heaved him to his unsteady feet. He groaned as he tried to balance himself doing an understandably poor job. Korra hooked her fingers around his belt to keep him standing. She was almost dragging him just as much as leading him through the forest.

"Is he gone?" Mako finally managed to say through his pain.

"Yeah. All taken care of." Korra told him.

"I didn't hear a cannon."

"Maybe they couldn't?" Korra changed their directions. She could hear the faintest sound of running water. It wasn't a lake like Mako said, a small river cut through the trees. The water looked dirty in some places but Korra found a small place beside a tiny waterfall where she could place Mako. Here she could remove the blade. The nearby birds flew away from his screams when she pulled it out. Maybe they should have given him something to bite.

Blood welled from the gash in his abdomen and soaked into his clothes. Korra pushed his shirt out of the way as she let the glowing healing water pass over the injury. Slowly discolored grey and purple skin became pale. As she worked the blood leaked into the water, staining it and making it dark.

Mako stopped her process as he struggled to stop the bleeding. She could heal most of the injury, but as long as the blood flooded out of him she could not seal his skin together again. With shaking hands Mako lit a small flame between two outstretched fingers. The moment his flame touched his skin pain erupted from his mouth. Korra bunched his dirty and bloodied shirt and forced it into his mouth. He bit down on the fabric but silence never came. Korra moved behind him to support his head as he burned his injury shut. When finally it was sealed she could use her bending again to compete the healing process. Weeks of healing had passed in a few painful moments.

"I guess I owe you one don't I?" He mumbled. His head fell back almost into his lap. While the fear was gone with the wound he still didn't have the energy to stand. But color was slowly returning to his skin. "Thanks."

"You don't have to mention it." A cannon finally boomed. Once its echo died a second one fired.

"I'm guessing that's him?" Mako asked, "The guy you didn't kill?"

"You should drink something." Korra lifted the water from the stream in one cupped hand and held it to his lips. He drank a few sips before pushing her hand away.

"You don't have to lie to me you know?" Mako said, "I already know you can't kill."

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Long chapter this time . . . . review and stuff.


	16. Chapter 16

Far behind schedule I know. Finally have a new job and it is kicking me around a bit. But now things are starting to settle. Hunger Games Tuesday will pick up again although I'm starting to think a different day might be better with the new schedule. I'll let you all know otherwise.

Either way I was trying to get this done yesterday and I still didn't manage it because Halloween. If any week is right for the uploading its this one. Happy Korrasami week. Happy Bisexuality Awareness week. And Happy Hunger Games!

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Chapter 15

She thought of a thousand things but all that came out was "How do you know?"

"Wei told me about your little fight with the boy from your district. Said you had a perfect kill lined up and you didn't take it." He adjusted his position with a little huffing but stayed leaned against the tree. Korra felt her fingers tighten, wishing she was holding a spear at that moment. "At first I thought it was just because he was from your district, but then you didn't kill the girl we trapped and now him."

Korra turned away from him. "So, what now? Do we separate?"

"Why?"

"If I can't kill then I can't help you win. That's the point of an alliance isn't it? To help each other win."

"You got the girl trapped up there. You got us food. You got us water before we could find some. You fixed this," Mako lifted his shirt to show what would now become a scar. The skin was still discolored but maybe with time would fade back to normal. "There's more to this game then killing you know."

"You don't seem to have a problem with it." Korra folded her arms and sat on a nearby rock

"Where'd all this salt come from?" Mako waved his hand, "I'm used to doing what I have to for my brother. Wei's fighting for his family too. You have your girl and your dog I suppose."

"I guess," Korra could feel a little bit of a smile when he mentioned them. She let herself think Asami wasn't seeing her minor lapse in judgment.

"I'd say that's a good reason to win. A reason to _want_ to win. That's why we're allies. If I wanted a savage killer I would have teamed up with Yong when I had the chance."

There was a moment of silence before Korra finally said, "Uh, thanks." It was all she could think of to say, sad as it was. Deep inside of her she could feel it burning again, that fire of pride and desire. Forget the honor of a career. She could win this just to see Asami again, or to hear her father say he was proud.

Was that what set their alliance apart from the others? A concept as simple as not fighting for personal gain or even survival? To give his brother a reason to let him volunteer. To break the chain of death so that for one year, even if it was just one, she wouldn't lose a son.

A ping from the sky forced their attention. A red light flashed in the trees sending shadows into the leaves in the setting sun. The small package drifted slowly and landed between the two tributes. Korra reached it first taking the small note that had been fastened to the top.

_I kept my promise. Now you keep yours._

_-Asami_

"What is it?" Mako asked. Korra almost couldn't contain herself. Maybe she had lost track of how many were left in all the fuss, but now she remembered what she had asked. No sponsors until the final six. She had survived this long.

"It's a uh, a sponsor. From Asami." Korra wiped her face with the back of her hand just in case he would see a tear glistening in her eyes.

"Are you sure? I thought maybe a surprise tribute would be in there. What's _inside _it?"

"If you would wait ten seconds for me to open it then we'd both know." Korra did only to see a silver thermos inside. She unscrewed the cap to find it filled with sweet smelling liquid. Too sweet Asami would have told her. Asami had remembered to send her favorite.

"Here." Korra passed the thermos to her partner, "Asami sent us some lychee juice."

Korra and Mako spent the next few hours into the night passing the sponsor between them. Mako didn't much like the taste of it, too sweet for him too, but he still drank his share all the same. Korra tried to make each sip last longer than the one before but as time passed she felt more like her portions were getting larger and larger. As light completely disappeared over the horizon so did the last of the sponsor. Korra even felt a little regret in sharing it. With a sigh Korra tossed the thermos to the side only to have Mako collect it again. No use in wasting what could be a good tool.

The sky lit again as the anthem played. The little river parted the trees just enough they could see it in the clouds above. Both kills that night had been theirs. Korra counted the tributes that were left in her head. Yong, Wei, Archer, Xie they called her, herself, Mako, and the last boy from eight.

"Should we head back to Wei?"

"I promised we'd clear out the tributes hiding in the forest before heading back to the city." Mako told her.

"Do you know anything about him? The last tribute I mean?"

Mako sighed and leaned back with his arms folded, "District eight mostly consists of old Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. He could be a firebender or an earthbender. I don't remember seeing him use either in training."

"So he might even be a non-bender then?"

"Are you always so optimistic?"

"Don't you know everything about everyone here?

"I didn't think he'd last this long." Mako shrugged.

"Well what do you think now?"

"I think he's real lucky." He smiled and ran his fingers through his messy hair. He had a bright sort of smile that almost seemed dopey. Had he smiled before now?

Korra cleared her throat before asking, "How are you feeling? If you're better we should probably get going. If not then I can heal you a little better. I mean it's getting dark." Korra didn't want to think about how exposed they might be. Without their thorn walls or Korra's traps how easy would it be or Xie to get a shot on them?

"No I'm fine." Mako said but he winced when he stood, "Tell your sponsor to send medicine next time."

"Ok." Korra raised her head to the sky and shouted, "Asami! Mako wants-" A little shove to her shoulder cut her off.

"Are you crazy? Do you want someone to hear you?"

"Yeah. Asami. That was the point." It also couldn't hurt to have the boy from eight hear too considering they had no idea where he was.

"Enough fooling around." Mako started towards their little fort. "You're just like my brother."

"I didn't realize your brother was a waterbender. Or a career." Mako shoved her shoulder again. Korra laughed a little and saw he was still smiling. It felt good, knowing she could make him smile.

Mako stopped suddenly. Korra turned. She heard it too, a branch snapping ahead of them. Dawn had not quite come and they could barely see their thorn fortress in the shadows. The place was still a mess from Korra's fight with the plantbender. Vines and brambles were scattered piles of dark shadows. At least she couldn't see the body of the girl from eight anymore.

A shape emerged from their fort. It was little more than shadows but its eyes glowed like embers. Sharp fangs gleamed in the light of a dim fire that burned with its every breath. It growled, a low rumbling sound that seemed to shake the leaves just above its head.

The monster roared and blew a jet of flame into the sky. Branches caught fire and the night became instantly as bright as day. Under the light Korra could properly see the serpentine shape of the dragon that faced her. It climbed from their fort as easily as a bird climbed out of a nest. Her thorn barriers collapsed under the weight of only one of its feet. It watched Korra and Mako with deep amber eyes. They did almost look like Mako's eyes.

A branch fully engulfed in fire dropped heavily between the two tributes and the dragon. Sparks scattered like insects only to disappear. The dragon raised a forepaw and wrapped its claws around the burning log. After only a moment of pressure the log burst into flaming shards that in turn lit new fires across the forest floor. Then it opened its maw and roared.

This dragon knew no words, only the bestial growling and roaring. Both were enough to make Korra's skin crawl at the unfamiliar sound. There was still a sort of unspoken sentence the dragon brought with it, one that came from the gamemakers themselves. _Have fun little tributes. The finales about to begin. _

"_Run!" _Mako's command was sharp and fearful. They took off together away from the flames overhead. The few supplies they had buried in their fort were not worth this fight.

Falling branches fell from the sky as they tried to escape. A thick one blocked the path in front of her. Korra screamed at the closeness of it, almost sure her hair was going to catch fire. Another foot closer and it would have crushed her.

"This way!" Mako gripped her arm, pulling her away from the fire. Korra risked a glance behind her. The dragon stood at its full height, easily twenty feet high. Wide antlers made him seem even bigger. His serpentine body was covered in dull green scales that reflected the flickering light brilliantly. It roared and Korra could feel it echoing in her bones. Only when it charged from its nest did fear for the monster outweigh the sense of wonder Korra felt for it.

"It's coming," Korra told Mako

"Just don't look back," Mako panted just before he skidded to a halt. Korra looked ahead of them and realized she was only looking into more fire. The shape of the boy from eight was fleeing as well. Behind him a second, larger dragon roared.

"The game makers are driving us together," Mako noted. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Don't think I'll slow you down." Korra charged ahead of Mako, "I still plan on winning this remember?"

Korra used her burst of sped to collide with Eight. She would have been surprised if the boy had even noticed her coming in all the chaos. The both of them tumbled together. The moment Eight had the higher ground he reeled back and punched her hard in the face. Lights danced in her eyes as she decided this was not the best approach.

"Korra!" She heard Mako calling her name and a hand pull hard on her ankle. She slid on her back towards him breaking Eight's grip on her.

A tree fell to the ground. The larger dragon stood on it in triumph. The flames that leapt from the trunk didn't seem to bother it in the slightest.

"Look at that," Eight said brushing himself off as he stood, "The moon and the dragon working together." He even went so far as to laugh, "Who would have seen that coming? In this light you might even look like a cute little couple."

Mako was the first to attack. Two quick shots of fire. Eight edged out of the way. His dodge was followed with a quick attack at Korra. She tried to defend herself with her bending, but the fire treated air proved to be too difficult to draw any water from. Why didn't she save any from the river?

Eight flashed a blade that slashed through her defending forearms. With a cry she stumbled backwards. Mako swooped in to defend her, driving the boy back with a touch of fire. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just," Korra ran her fingers along her injury. She was bleeding and already the dark streams were running down her arms. For the moment though she didn't think it would slow her down. "just give me a minute."

"I'll give you a minute!" Eight laughed. Mako let loose a stream of fire at the boy's feet to put some distance between them. Eight seemed to think better of the fight and turned and ran.

The gray dragon behind him let loose a roar when Eight came too close. Unable to pass him or the tree he stood on he ran along it's length. Mako gave into the chase.

Korra rubbed her arms. The cut stung and the blood gave her warm skin a cold chill, but that wasn't an excuse to stop. Mako was counting on her. She ran in a wide arc, passing mako and intercepting Eight. The boy stopped when he noticed her and looked back and forth between the two attackers.

"Nowhere to run is there?" Korra teased as she closed in on him. In the very last instant he bolted into the gap between the two of them faster than Korra had been expecting.

"You just had to say something," Mako grumbled at her. They changed their direction and raced after him. His little trick had earned him a bit of a head start. Korra's heart was already pounding in her ears. The smoke itself made it difficult to breath.

The green dragon had walked on the other side of Eight. His great jaw opened and flames poured over the bushes there. Cornered for a second time Eight finally stopped.

"You can't fight us and the dragons." Mako shouted over the crackle of burning forest. "Which way is it going to be?"

Eight spit on the dragon's fire. "That's how they want it huh?" Eight shouted to the sky, "Get that last push before your finale? Dance for us huh? The minute it turned me against the two of you I don't stand a chance. A non-bender like me against the carrers doesn't make much of a show now does it?"

"Mako?" Korra wasn't entirely sure why she said his name. Her every nerve was on edge, her stance open and ready to strike back. This was that crossroads where she couldn't act as easily.

"The game makers just want the best entertainment," Mako told him. "Just give them theat and they'll tip the scales towards you." Was Mako encouraging him to take another shot?

Instead Eight shook his head and dropped his stance. The knife he had cut Korra with he tossed to one side and raised his hands in surrender. "Have you even seen those careers? What kind of performance do they think I'm going to give them? How's this for a show stopper then?" He leapt backwards into the flames.

"NO!" Korra could not look away as his body was engulfed in the flames. The green dragon opened his jaws and bathed him in fire. He screamed so desperately it made Korra's ears hurt. But he did not struggle. He did not try to run. He only collapsed until the fires eventually died away.


	17. Chapter 17

Have you missed me? I've missed all of you. Don't forget to review ^^ Happy Hunger Games!

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"Lets go," Mako's gentle hand on her shoulder led her away from the fire. At the edge of the forest Korra collapsed. The cannon boomed. The screams were still in her head. No matter how hard she pressed her hands against her ears she could still hear him. Mako. Mako was there. He held her shoulders and rested her head on his shoulder. Was he saying something to her?

She was able to move again when she heard the ping. A little parachute had landed a few feet away from her. Mako had noticed it too but chose to stay next to her. After a few seconds of watching it just ping on the ground she took it and read the attached note

"_You're doing wonderfully. Hold on a little longer."_

_-Asami_

Korra didn't even give Mako the chance to read the note. It was hers and she slid it into her pocket.

With a deep breath she asked, "Is the cave far?" She tucked Asami's sponsor under her arm. To her the message was worth more than whatever gift was inside. It could wait until they were sheltered.

"Not far. I'd guess about a half hour's walk maybe." He looked down at her and Korra didn't like it, "Can you make it? I can carry you if you can't?

"No, I can do it," Maybe her mind had snapped a little at Eight's surrender. That didn't make her weak. She could manage walking just fine. It did bother her how Mako had seemed completely unphased by what they had just witnessed.

Even as she stood she felt Mako hook one of her arms around his shoulders. She could feel the warmth of his hand against her him. She let him. She wanted to fight but what would be the point. It felt comforting at the very least.

Mako guided her slowly through the few passages that stood between them and the cave. There they found Wei waiting for them in the dark.

"You guys made it!" He said when he heard them enter. With one move Mako lit the fire in the center and sat near it. Korra settled on a rock a few feet away from the firebender. Allied with Wei or not there was no reason for him to see that she had been hurt. "I was beginning to worry about you guys when I started hearing cannons go off."

"We decided to camp out there for a while. And the game makers sent a dragon after us." Mako reported blankly.

"She ok?" Wei asked and she raised her arm to let him see the cuts Eight had managed to make on her, "One of them got you bad huh?"

"I'll be alright," Korra shrugged opening her sponsor. Fitting she should see a small container of disinfectant inside. It would be a shame if she lost just because she didn't take care of a cut properly.

"What about the other careers?" Mako asked.

"Yong's still holed up in the cornucopia. He's bound to be running out of supplies by now. I've heard a few sponsors come down but nothing near what he's going to need to survive."

"It's not like a career to hole up for the competition anyway," Mako's eyes narrowed, "What about the other one?"

"Xie's been roving through the city. I've clashed with her a few times but she's hard to get close too."

"She's probably finding her supplies around town too. Arrows too maybe, unless a sponsor is stepping in for her."

Wei shrugged and pulled a rock from the ground for him to lean back against, "I don't know. Either way she hasn't run out. It'd be stupid for us to plan for that."

"She can only shoot one at a time though," Korra added, "What about an ambush?"

"That, might work." Mako looked into the fire. His eyes were distant and focused as he watched. "We'll have to make it look like she isn't being handed a kill though. She'll know something's up then."

"Does she know we're working together?"

Wei shook his head, "I don't see why she would? But she's seen be plenty of times all by myself. There's no reason why she would suspect I have allies."

"Korra's our bait." Mako said definitively.

"What?"

"Yeah, wait a minute I didn't agree to that."

"You're a good fighter but we know if it comes down to it you won't be able to kill her when the time comes. Best to let us do the dirty work and keep you on the defensive."

Korra sighed heavily and crossed her arm, "You're right," Of course he was, "Just don't let me get killed ok?"

"We all need to work together to finish this." Mako promised. She felt his hand on her shoulder. Warm like a true firebender. "None of us are dying."

"Easy for you to say team captain. You won't be at the end of her arrows." Just like the boy was the first day of the games.

Wei's voice stopped her from completely remembering the deaths of the first day. "After Xie is taken out Yong will be the only career left,"

"Aside from me," Korra added but Wei continued on.

"I just want to be clear right now. When we get her I'm out of the group."

"We're almost done. You can't bail on us now." Korra almost threw a rock at him.

"We're almost down to the last three. We knew this Alliance couldn't last forever. Mako, this has worked out just fine with me being super sneaky for you. Don't get me wrong I'm grateful for that. And at least I helped you with that kid from your district." Korra glanced away, "But when we're the only ones left we're going to have to turn on each other at some point. Nothing against either of you but I'd rather be far away from you when that happens."

Korra looked at Mako. He was bound to have some kind of argument against him. They were a team right? But instead the firebender only nodded and asked, "Who's going to take the first watch?"

How someone could sleep with someone who was going to abandon her team she wasn't sure. Who's to say Wei wasn't going to turn on them sooner than he said? It would be the perfect strategy. She fought her urges to toss on the hard floor. Stay still, look asleep. Wei can't know you're worried about him. And how was Mako sleeping? She couldn't see him from her angle.

By the time the sun rose she hardly even knew how long she had slept. She was sure it could not have been long. Her body ached to move and she found herself surprised to want the soil of the forest under her. In the shadows of the cave the rising sun was nothing more than a dim light far away from them.

Korra pushed herself up to sit, forced a yawn and stretched. Knots buried in her muscles and joints. But as far as Wei knew she slept like a baby, right? She brushed herself off and jumped to her feet. The effort to look refreshed was not exhausting, but a nescience. All she wanted was to collapse in the bed in the tribute tower and never move again. Well, maybe she'd move if Asami was there with her.

"Have any trouble sleeping?" Mako pulled her from her thoughts

"I'm fine," Korra snapped sounding crankier than she meant to. She walked towards where Wei was sleeping soundly. There was a little spark of fury at the sight of him. How dare he just doze away peacefully when he had made her uncomfortable all night? She woke him up with a punch to the arm. "Get up Four," She told him calling him by his district.

He snapped awake and Korra could have sworn he flew into a fighting stance. "Mako!" He shouted just before realizing he didn't have any reason to be alarmed. "Oh, it's you. Can't a guy sleep without thinking he's gonna be murdered any second in these games?"

"Sorry." Korra smirked, "Maybe you'll feel more comfortable in the kiddy rounds next time."

"That's enough playing around you two." Mako ordered, "We need to get moving. Wei."

"On it." Wei pulled at something with his bending. The wall buried in the far back of the cave shifted and an opening formed. A thin tunnel burrowed deeper forming a set of stairs. Mako led the way keeping the way lit with a flame in his hands.

The steps spiraled upward through though the dark. They were nothing more than ledges of stone shifted into shape. She wondered if Wei had made the steps himself or had the gamemakers put together this little tunnel and let Mako come across it?

The door they reached was another one made of metal. Behind her she could feel, rather than see, Wei's movements that opened it. For a moment the sunlight that streamed in was painful. Korra blinked and shielded her eyes with one hand until she was more adjusted.

"Welcome to heaven!" Wei said cheerily as he gestured to the landscape around him. They stood on the tops of the iron walls that covered the city. From here the labyrinth she had gotten lost in before looked like nothing more than a complicated map. Large gaps in the maze marked where small neighborhoods stood. Behind them Korra noticed a gap that she was sure held the home that Tukun's brother had been killed in. In the labyrinth's center a wide oval gave away the cornucopia.

"Yong is that way isn't he?" Korra said pointing. Wei nodded. "Shouldn't we go after him first then?"

"Last time I was close to him he was laying something down all around the place. Even I don't have any idea what he's set up out there. Not to mention he's had the time to make everything perfect for him. We'd stand a better chance if we dragged him out."

"And when we have a plan." Mako added, "we already have one for Xie in place. We need to focus on her. Stop being so distracted."

"Fine." Korra grumpily crossed her arms, "Give him time to rest up."

"Xie's been on the move most of the time, but more often than not she'll regroup that way." Wei pointed towards a distant opening. With that settled they made their way towards it.

Crossing the maze was much easier this time. Without needing to navigate their way around it getting lost was out of the question. Korra wondered why the gamemakers even bothered putting a maze in the arena this year. Was watching tributes get lost in it part of the fun for them? And if it was why let her and her alliance just walk over the thing? The questions only made her nervous. Would they send another dragon after them for finding a way over the maze?

Wei's bending proved to be the most useful to Korra when it came to crossing the maze itself. The gaps were sometimes narrow enough to jump across easily. Other times her waterbending wasn't strong enough. With more water around her she probably could have managed, but not like this. Wei easily made small bridges that she could cross as long as she didn't look down. Still, the fact that the height made her uncomfortable at all made her mad at herself. It didn't help that she was scanning the skies for swooping dragons.

Mako waved for them to duck when they were close. Looking over the edge Korra was annoyed to find it was the same little shopping district she had found the can opener boy before. Had Xie come here because it was familiar to her because of those kills?

"Get back," Korra stifled a sound in her throat as she felt Mako yank her back by her collar. "Are you trying to get us caught?"

"She's in that house." Wei was several paces further back than her and Mako. Enough that even standing he wouldn't be visible from Xie's angle. Korra looked at his heavy stance and studied his face. His eyes were closed as he focused on his bending. Korra had heard of Toph's legendary seismic sense ability but had never seen it up close. No wonder he had known where Tukun's brother was before she did. How long ago was that?

"What did I say about distractions?" Mako hissed in her ear.

"Right." Korra nodded, "Wei, do you want to let me down?"

"Not a good idea. If I bend the walls to let you down she'll probably hear. The wall's lower that way though. You could probably jump." He nodded towards the edge with a jerk of his head. "Just watch the rocks."

"Wei and I will get into position and move just as soon as you draw her out. All you have to do is get her into the open. We'll handle taking her down." Mako told her.

Korra nodded but as she stood a thousand doubts weighed down her steps. What if Mako didn't come to her rescue? It would be too easy to let Xie take out his ally for him. No, with what little she knew about him he wasn't the kind to stab his teammate in the back. Certainly not after how they had worked together for so long. Wei on the other hand she wasn't sure she could trust. How easy would it be for him to cut down Mako while she was away? Would she even know Mako couldn't come to help while she fought with Xie?

Her ankles ached and her teeth clattered together as Korra landed heavily on the gravel walkway. Try to look normal, she told herself as she stepped towards the abandoned shopping district. Try to look natural, not paranoid. Like you have no idea anyone's here at all. Because you don't remember? But this is the last stage of the games isn't it? Wouldn't it look more suspicious if She didn't look a little worried?

Korra barely heard the sound. String snapped against wood. The whizz of the arrow lasted only as long as she realized it happened before she felt the arrow burry deep into her collarbone.


	18. Chapter 18

I know it isn't a tuesday but here goes. NaNoWriMo is slowing me down now since I do have a legitimate novel I'd like to actually make. But don't worry. Mabye finishing this will be like my Christmas present to the world. It's almost over right? Right? _Right?! Happy Hunger Games!_

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Hg 18

Pain exploded in Korra's arm as she felt her clothes filling with blood. She was sure some kind of curse fell out of her mouth as she dived for cover. Already her breathing had turned rough. The blood dripping down her chest was cold.

Korra's shelter from Xie was nothing more than a tree. The trunk was rough but barely wide enough to shield her. The shaft of the arrow stretched far past it's protection. Xie seemed to think it would be funny to strike the exposed shaft with another arrow. The head buried inside her felt like a knife being twisted under her skin. Korra bit her lip hard to hold back the noise that she wanted to scream.

She needed a new place to hide. There was a small wall a few paces she could hide behind. It wouldn't be enough cover for long though. From there she could reach that small building and stay away from those arrows. Then what? Xie wasn't likely going to leave because she stayed in that house.

Korra threw herself at the small fence before she had even thought up the rest of the plan. Staying alive had to be more important. Another arrow shortened a few hairs during her sprint between the wall and the small house. She thought she could hear another arrow hit the wall behind her. How could she be sure?

"Ok, first thing's first," Korra said beginning to dig through the abandoned house. She wasn't going to bother trying to figure out what the torn apart building was supposed to be. She only recognized that it was dirty and things were thrown everywhere. Korra reminded herself to stay clear of the windows though, remembering how easily Xie had shot down the can opener boy through one of them. She wasn't fond of taking an arrow to the throat like he did.

She finally found what she was looking for, or at least close enough to it. A dirty blanket waited in a heap on the floor of a carpet. She had been hoping for something smaller but this would have to do. Wadding a corner she stuffed as much of it into her mouth as she could. She only allowed the brief second to brace herself.

Both hands gripped the shaft of the arrow and pulled her hardest. Flesh and muscle tore as the head of the arrow ripped them from her collar. Her screams were absorbed by the blanket. Tears ran into the cloth as she doubled over and the pain controlled her shaking body for a moment. One hand pressed against the injury in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

An arrow flew through one of the open windows. It shattered some glass lamp or other and stuck straight into the wall. Korra was nowhere near this but it still made her jump. Xie was out there, watching this building like a vulture hawk and felt the need to remind her of it. The moment she stepped into the open Korra had nothing to look forward to but another arrow, this one possibly fatal.

Korra focused enough moisture from the air to use as heeling water. The amount was small and glowed brightly and warm against her skin. The process would keep her alive, knitting her skin and muscle back together again, but she still had the pain to slow her down. Korra would have to hope that not focusing on it would be enough to keep it out of her mind.

Korra stood with her back against the wall just beside the still open doorway. Very carefully she twisted her head enough to look outside judging how she could reach Xie from where she was. The pathway was slightly downhill but completely clear of anything to hide behind. A direct sprint would be useless. Korra knew she wasn't the fastest runner. A shield of ice would be effective for a while but would likely be too heavy.

Frustration gripped Korra and she hit the wall she was leaning against. If only she could airbend. It would be too easy to just blow those arrows out of the way. Or even to firebend like Mako. Turn those arrows into ashes before they reached her. Was he up there waiting already? Had he seen her be hit? Had Asami seen it too? Or her father? He wouldn't have missed a moment like this. In his own games he would have . . .

With a thrust from one palm a sheet of ice stretched in front of her. The surface was smooth and perfect. She leaped onto it using her weight to push her along. Perfectly curved paths she formed with her bending twisted her out of the paths of Xie's arrows. Speed, agility, all captured in her father's signature move. She could see Xie in the windows taking shot after shot, constantly missing the twisting, ice skating, waterbender.

A final push upward drove her icy ramp into the sky. With her collected momentum and a push behind her with her bending she burst through the second story window. Korra's arms wrapped around Xie's middle as the two crashed to the ground. Something stabbed hard into the back of Korra's shoulder. A pain Korra now recognized came from an arrow. The pain only made her grip the girl harder.

Impact broke the two of them apart. For a heartbeat the two of them froze, almost as if expecting the other to strike in that instant. Xie reached for her bow and attempted to draw it. The damaged wood snapped with a loud crack. Xie drew back as if the cracking bow had exploded in her hands. Fear etched in her face as she fled.

"Oh no you don't." Korra said and gave into the chase. The two ran down the stairs and into the main room. Xie had already made for the door, knocking over a stand to try to slow Korra down. She even went as far as to throw something she had found at Korra. A something that she dodged easily. Xie was still scrambling when she threw open the door and burst into the sunlight.

Perfect.

Korra followed her outside blinking in the sun. Why was the fire nation always so bright? She could hear Mako's fire falling from the sky. Glare from the bright sun kept her from being able to see him completely. Xie was still running, making an attempt to hide in a second building. Wei leapt from behind the doorway to block her escape at the last minute.

"Nowhere to run pretty girl." He said.

Xie struck out quickly as she could. In the span of only a few seconds she struck his head with the broken bow she had still been carrying. Wei groaned and touched where she had struck. Before he could do any more she struck with a second weapon burying it in his chest. She darted past Wei as he collapsed.

Mako, quicker than Korra had imagined tore after Xie, "Help him," He ordered as he overtook the archer. For a moment Korra hesitated as he overtook her and knocked her to the ground with a blow to her calves. Only when she knew Mako had the advantage that she was able to break away.

Wei was still a crumpled heap in the doorway when she reached him. His skin had already gone pale. The green of his uniform was becoming an almost black shade of red. Korra tore his clothes away reeling in disgust at the stench. Water that she held to his skin pulled away at the excess blood growing dark in her hands. The arrow she had hit him with was deep and very bloody. A very lucky desperate shot.

"No . . . " She heard him faintly say. Korra didn't answer him right away. A few coughs stained his mouth with blood. Korra was a healer but an injury this severe she couldn't heal fast enough. What had Xie managed to puncture? His heart or lungs? Maybe even both. Korra didn't need to be a hunter to know how impossible his odds were. "I wasn't supposed too . . . This curse . . ."

"You fought honorably," Korra managed to tell him. She tossed her blood filled water aside and brought a second one to her hands. Just as before the glowing light faded as more blood filled it. Korra realized her hands were shaking. "No one, not even Toph could have asked for more."

"Mom . . Lil Sis . . ." He stopped as coughing seized his body again, "You'll stop her, if you win. Don't let the games take her too."

Korra only had faint memories of Mako mentioning that Wei had a sister. A non-bender he had said. She wouldn't have lasted a chance. Korra nodded and promised, "I'll keep her out of here no matter what." It was only after she said those words that she realized she had no real way of actually keeping a person out of the games.

"Korra?" Mako had appeared beside her. He knelt beside Wei, a hand on his shoulder as he took in the injury. Mako's amber eyes watched as Korra continued to heal, stitching the skin on his injured chest. There was little more than a scar that showed where he had been struck. Korra's work was hardly doing anything more than cleaning his skin. Preparing his body for the funeral his family would have for yet another Beifong. His body was shaking, trembling as though still fighting death.

Mako took away his hand and slowly shook his head. Then, even without needing to be asked he promised, "I'll tear down the sky if it means keeping Opal out of the games."

"Heh." His forced laugh was accented with a bloody cough, "You better. Mom'll be after you." He fell still and two cannons fired into the sky.

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Remember to do those little review things for me ^^


	19. Chapter 19

It's been a while mostly because of NaNoWriMo. But that's over so here we go.

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HG 19

The Beifong curse was bound to strike one way or another. Korra forced herself to rationalize his death a thousand times over. After all there could only be one winner in the end. If she was going to make it home then how could he? Still the image of his body being returned to Lin and his few remaining siblings, it didn't seem fair. How could she handle a third son being lost to the games she and her sister both survived? The fact that he played well and made it to the final four was hardly a comfort.

The thought pained her that now that he was gone Korra wished more than anything she would have been able to stop his death. Maybe his survival would have meant her death. Asami would be devastated but she was young and beautiful. She'd find love again. Lin couldn't find herself a new son and was nearly helpless to keep the games from stealing her other two from her.

Wei's body had been retrieved by the game makers a very long while ago. Korra and Mako had taken refuge in the same store Xie had been hiding in. As much as it ached her Korra had to at least admit that the second floor was very defensible. They could stay there that night and most of the next day. Xie had enough supplies there that might have lasted the two of them a week if they portioned it out carefully.

The silence that hung over the two of them was painful. Mako spent so much of his time just watching out the window. Did he hope that Yong would come to them? Korra had given up on that idea a while ago. Or was he just waiting. Waiting for the gamemakers to make the decision for them. It wouldn't be any different than the decision they made with the boy from eight. Like always Mako was impossible for her to read. Maybe Wei's death had even sent him thinking about his own brother?

Korra almost didn't want to think about that boy she knew hardly anything about. A boy, an earthbender, a sweet kind boy. Did he deserve to go without a brother any more than Wei's? Mako had volunteered to keep him out of the games. He had been willing to give his life to protect him. What had Korra given? She had prepared for this as an inevitability. No one's well being hung on her victory.

No, that wasn't entirely true. She was still the avatar wasn't she? Could she allow the avatar to just die in a game to let some boy have a brother for a little longer? Maybe it was time the avatar did something about that. To keep mothers from losing all of their children and brothers from losing each other. Maybe that would be her mark as the avatar. The idea of it alone made her heart light.

But that would have to be after the games.

For now she would have to bide her time. Always aware and consciously afraid of the coming fight between her and Mako. For now they were united, a common enemy in Yong. Once he was gone it would be just the two of them. Only when he died could she be with Asami again.

Korra found herself looking out the window waiting to hear a parachute from her. She didn't think that she had forgotten. It was more likely that there was simply nothing that needed a sponsor for. What could Asami give that would help her right now? A weapon? Korra wasn't exactly good with them anyway and had always preferred her bending. For an instant she considered poison, a drop or two in mako's water and the competition gone. But she always shook it away. It wouldn't feel right. Taking his life so effortlessly? At the very least he deserved to fight. And how could she, the pride of district four, resort to such a coward's weapon? What would she say to the tribe when she returned?

"We've rested long enough." Mako decided. Korra nodded but with all the tension building inside her she felt more exhausted than before.

Outside Mako raised a fist and let flames engulf it before driving it hard into the wall of the maze outside. The charred shape of knuckles were engraved into the metal even after he removed his hand.

"Mako I'm upset too but you really shouldn't-"

"I'm marking our trail." Mako said, "Without Wei here to make bridges for you I don't see how you'll be able to cross above the maze. This keeps us from getting lost."

Korra crossed her arms, "Can't you just use your bending?"

"My bending will get me across, yeah, but last I checked you weren't a firebender. This way will just have to do."

"Or you could go ahead?"

"Already that eager to separate?"

"Wei was about to."

"What is your?" He stopped himself putting a hand on Korra's shoulder, "Look now is not the time to be loosing your nerve. This fight is the biggest of our lives and I need you clear headed ok?"

"Yeah I got it." She brushed his hand aside and headed into the maze. For a while the passes felt meaningless. She knew this wasn't the way to the cornucopia, or at least wasn't the direct way she had walked with Xie on the first day of the games before Chee was killed. But she found that she liked the idea of postponing the fight.

After a while Mako's marking method proved to be useful when they began to see it again on walls they were passing. Korra wondered how many times she retraced her own path when she was running from the careers after she was accused of Chee's murder? Could she have reached that neighborhood in only a few minutes if she wasn't running in circles?

"Get back!" Mako's sudden order caught Korra off guard. He gripped her wrist and pulled her, almost throwing her into the wall.

"Hey what was-"

"Shh!" With both of them pressed against the wall it was difficult for Korra to see around him. She could just make out the shape of the curved building around his hair. They had found it, Yong's hiding place. The cornucopia. For a while Korra was content with just waiting behind Mako. He was the one who would be coming up with their battle plan. But he was taking so long just staring at the open space using time they probably didn't have.

"He's probably in there," Korra whispered to him. "It'd be easy. Charge in there and burn him out. If there's nowhere to go then he's trapped."

"We don't know what kind of defenses he's put up in there." Mako said not even looking back at Korra. Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was more annoyed by her than anything, "He's had more time than we had to put up much better traps than we did. Not to mention all the resources the cornucopia has to offer. Either way for all we know he isn't even inside. He could be on one of the walls just waiting for one of us to come after him."

"I could play bait again?" Korra suggested, "It worked before,"

"It still cost Wei. I'd rather us both get out of this."

_I'd rather you didn't_. The thought was much more sudden and harsher than she had expected. Him killing Yong for her was the goal, but to have Yong also kill Mako in the process was handing her the win. But right away her heart sank at the thought. Had the games really made her that cold? No, she just didn't want to be the one to do it herself.

"Any other plans then?"

"If I can get above them then maybe I can drive him out with my bending."

"If he even is inside."

"If he is inside," Mako repeated, "Maybe fire right in the opening. At it's very worst it will at least surprise him."

"There's a ledge that faces directly into the mouth of the cornucopia. I remember seeing it on the first day. You should be able to get a good angle from there."

Mako nodded. "In that case I'm going to go back before I scale the wall. I wouldn't want him hearing or seeing me before I was ready." He edged around her and headed back into the maze. Before he rounded the first corner he looked back at her and added, "Be careful."

For a while there was nothing but silence. Korra stayed pressed against the wall unmoving, almost afraid to breathe too hard. She let her senses prick at her, tiny hairs on her cheeks noticing even the smallest touch of her hair in the wind. She tried to listen but heard only the air blowing through her little hiding hallway. She needed to be still and silent and listen. Patient, like a hunter. Or did she feel more like prey?

When she felt Mako was taking too long she looked up. From her vantage point she could see nothing more than the edge of the wall above her. If Mako was up there she wasn't likely to have any idea of it. She wondered if he would manage to find the ledge alright. A part of her worried that he had run into Yong while looking for it. No, she probably would have heard that.

She decided that she wanted Yong at the opening. If Mako was up there he'd be able to just fire directly at him. But in order for that to happen she would have to draw him out. Korra did hesitate, not exactly fond of taking on the last remaining career herself. After all Mako considered using her as bait for Xie a failure. But it was Wei who had died, not her, so it really was nothing more than success for her and her district. Taking one deep breath Korra stepped away from the wall.

For a moment the setting sun seemed harsh against her skin after the shadow of the wall. She blinked and eased her way into a defensive position. Her steps were careful and almost painfully slow. She was sure Yong was in there, biding his time, waiting for the others to die. What kind of a way was that for a career to play? Hiding in a hole like a coward. He didn't deserve to live to see the final three.

Korra stopped. Wet. That's what she felt on her foot. Korra looked down to see she had stepped in some acrid smelling water. Yong had even gone far enough as to lay out a wide silver tarp around his base just to ensure it didn't sink into the soil. Had he hoped the bitter smell would drive her away? Korra smiled, would he be surprised.

Korra picked up a fair sized stone from the ground to throw at the building. It clanked loudly against the side. She waited to see Yong appear in the dark opening but saw nothing. After a moment she picked up a second rock and stepped a little closer. The smell engulfed her, almost trying to choke her and reminding her that she actually remembered it from somewhere.

The memory tried to resurface and Korra closed her eyes to let it overtake her. But all she could remember was Asami. That couldn't be right though. Asami almost always wore her perfumes, sweet as a flower. But she did smell this on her once. She was angry that day, frustrated, and Korra had only laughed at the mess that her friend had gotten herself into. Her braided hair was becoming unraveled. Her hands were stained with grease and oil that only seemed to spread as she washed it out. Asami had shoved her away then, "It's not my fault," She had snapped at Korra, "There was an accident at the factory. It'll take forever to get all the gasoline out of my clothes."

"Gas!"

Looking down Korra could now notice the rivets of rainbow coursing through the liquid beneath her feet. The fuel coated the entire cornucopia like a deadly moat. The perfect trap for the firebender waiting inside. Or for the firebender on the wall taking aim not to far away. She could hear the air igniting with his bending.

"Mako no!"

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I was hoping to have this story done by christmas . . . I don't know. What I know less about is if there will be a sequel. It really depends on who wins the games you see.


	20. Chapter 20

It has been a while since you've seen me. What with the holidays and nanowrimo and what not getting in the way. Anyway here's another go at it. Thanks for all of you staying with me this long. Please don't forget to review. It really does help me keep going.

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Korra leapt straight in the air. Forward or backwards wouldn't make much of a difference. She had wandered too far into the trap. Maybe if she was able to use a firebending propelled launch then it would have been possible, even if extremely dangerous. The inferno raged to life under her, stretching across the tarp in seconds.

"Korra!" She heard her name. She knew Mako's voice. It sounded surprised. It sounded afraid. She almost remembered that she wasn't even supposed to have left her place on the wall. Maybe he was just as afraid as she was. Korra knew the ledge he was standing on was too far away to reach her even if he did jump down to help.

She twisted as she fell. Her form was sloppy as she reached for water, forcing it to materialize out of the chemical waste of gasoline. She bent the water away from where she landed forming a small circle of safety around her. All around her the fire was burning unnaturally high and her skin ached at its closeness.

"Mako!" She called back once she knew her landing was safe enough, "I'm ok, just give me a minute!"

"Too long!" She heard a voice say from inside the moat of fire. She lashed out with her bending towards the voice. A streaming of flaming gas tearing through the air at the career. She smiled at the feel of fire in her hands, her own bending burning the flames brighter in a way the gamemakers would never be able to discern. Yong barely managed to dodge the attack. The gas struck the cornucopia wall and splattered into little fires that died in the gravel.

Yong responded with a punch that forced a massive fireball from his fist. The sun, this region, the immediate fire filling the air around him, all stacked against Korra and fueled his bending. Making the career stronger. Instinct alone caused Korra to throw up her arms and form a shield with what little water she could supply.

The attempt was one that could not last long. The shield carried chemicals that burned as the fire touched it. The bright flames distorted her vision so horribly it was hard to even see Yong anymore. But she could feel her defense withering away under her hands. The water turning to steam as he pressed his attack.

The assault ended almost as quickly as it began. She could hear the whoosh of ignition some distance away from her. Mako had finally reached her. Yong turned his position, defending for only an instant before turning his attack towards Mako.

Korra jumped and put a hand against her mouth to stop a scream. She had felt the fire touch her. Burn through her boot and send pain shooting through her leg. It took only a second or two to put it out but she knew her shelter was getting smaller and smaller. The fire continued to try to spread, burn away at the tarp she was still standing on. A sweeping motion widened the circle of safety, but it would not last forever.

She could see mako trading blows like no bender she had ever watched before. She had seen firebenders, that wasn't what seemed so off about it. But it was the way he bent, a style that was both foreign and intriguing. He seemed to dance on his toes and his raised forearms protected his face. His blows were fast, more like jabs than actual punches, that still had a defensive edge to them.

Korra was still astonished when he took his first hit. A blow to the shoulder that knocked him slightly off balance. The second was aimed at his knees. It was too large, too fast, no one could have been expected to dodge that. As he stumbled Korra saw Yong pull back for a third, possibly final blow.

Korra acted out of instinct rather than training. A feeling that boiled inside of her and pushed her to act before even she was aware of moving. Flames parted at her will. She moved at a speed she didn't even know she could reach, covering the distance between her and Mako just as she realized she was going to him. The boy fell backwards as she almost crashed into him, hardly taking notice of the boy she was protecting. Her arm raised against the fire Yong had thrown. It struck her hand as she absorbed the energy of the fireball. In another firm movement a thick wall of stone was erected stretching above her head. Nothing Yong could throw at them could reach them easily from this angle.

Only when the barrier was erected did Korra feel the force drain out of her limbs. She looked back at Mako on the ground who was only looking back at her. His eyes were wide, but what was she seeing in them? Fear maybe? More like recognition. Shock. Pieces were fitting together that were finally becoming clear to him. But all Korra felt was panic. How had she? Why had she? This was bad. Her bending . . .

"You're, you're the avatar." Mako finally said.

"Never mind that. You're getting distracted," Korra said using his words. Mako nodded and got to his feet.

"Knock him off balance," He ordered. Korra twisted in two wide kicks that sent the wall flying towards the cornucopia in seperate waves. Flames split as they ripped through the tarp. To one side they caught a glimpse of Yong diving out of the way. He shouted something Korra couldn't hear as her earth struck the cornucopia sending rocks of various sizes flying in all directions. He shook his fist and disappeared inside.

"Do we chase him?" Korra turned back at Mako. She hadn't even realized that he had been throwing fire behind her rock wall. But the question held since she wasn't too keen on walking into some other trap he might have buried inside.

"We can't let him just hide." Mako nodded, "This is our best chance. Hit him hard while he's still just as confused about what you are as the rest of us."

"Mako I-"

"Save it for after this." There was that little smile again. It silenced her even though she had planned on arguing. With her cover blown Korra decided that sticking to only waterbending was a stupid precaution. Naturally she was less skilled with fire having not been properly trained in it. She was capable enough of using her power alongside Mako to clear a path through what remained of Yong's fire trap. The air still felt hot and thick, like a spark would still ignite the air around them. A smile played at Korra's lips as a fragment of an idea appeared.

"Come on out One!" Korra shouted from the entrance. At the edge of her vision she could barely see Mako's surprised expression. "What's wrong? Scared of a real fight? And I thought you were supposed to be a career. What happened to your honor? "

She felt Mako's hand on her arm as he hissed, "What are you doing?" Was that real anger in his eyes or just frustration?

"Nothing," Korra answered staying loud so the career could hear her, "Just, you know, waiting for the fight to start. But I guess it won't, he's just too much of a coward. Guess I'll just have to go in there and smoke him out myself."

"Korra don't you dare go in there." Mako commanded sternly.

"Don't worry," She told him with that confident smile. "It'll be easy. Just like when I killed Chee."

Mako's confused face was worth the lie. It's effect though was immediate. Fire exploded from the cornucopia with a roar. Yong was a powerful storm of anger, his fists engulfed with flame.

"You killed her!" He shouted facing Korra, "I should have never let you escape that first day!"

"Yeah," Korra fell into her fighting stance. This was wrong. It felt cruel. But it felt just too easy. "She brought it on herself really." She had planned on making another taunt but it never came since Yong decided to throw a fireball at her face.

Mako returned fire first, "Maybe you'll find a strategy that doesn't involve making him mad?" He snipped.

Korra let fire burn through her limbs. She hadn't let power like this be free inside her for what had to have been a decade. She had none of Mako's skill or training. Her blows were less powerful, more fluid. It felt almost as though she was still bending water. It was foreign. It was raw. It was exhilarating. For an instant she almost lost herself in the bending and forgot she was under attack at all.

"Korra stop!" Mako ordered and she did. How did she not notice the shadow that covered her? An airship? Had they already won? She hadn't heard a canon, but then again she hadn't been paying attention.. "Move. Now!"

Something opened in the base of the ship. Something shot from that opening. If Mako hadn't warned her the hole that was just blasted into the ground would have been filled with all sorts of assorted Korra pieces. She felt Mako's hand against her wrist pulling her away. She could hear Yong shouting as they tore into the labyrinth. Was he following them? She couldn't hear him over the explosions.

"Where are we going?" Korra finally managed to say. She could feel dirt spray against her pants from that last blast. The air was burning around her as the shots came closer.

"In here!" Mako turned a corner and with a shove they were crouched inside the small grocery store. Korra cringed at the sight of can openers blood still staining the dirty floor. "Keep moving." Mako roughly pushed her by the shoulders until they were almost in the center of the building. The ground shook. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling. Korra raised her arms to shield her head. Would they bring down the whole building?

"Here," Mako had pushed a broken table out of the way revealing a patch of concrete. "Make a hole here. Big one if you can." And Korra did. The action was followed by Mako shoving her into the hole she had just made. With his orders she closed it above their heads.

Without being able to see she lit the tiniest of fires in her hand. Immediately Mako put it out and whispered no to her. They waited completely engrossed in darkness. They could only hear the explosions above their heads and the groaning sounds of strained metal and wood. Something crashed. Was it the building? It was probably the building. How many stories of scrap metal and wood and stone separated them from the sky now?

Then there was a long, terrible silence. What were they doing? Agitation itched at Korra's skin. She didn't like how close the walls were. How dark the world was. Now that the building was on their heads how far would they have to dig to see the sky. Would she even be able to dig through the metal scraps of the building. She wasn't a metalbender at all. Had Mako's plan ended with them being completely trapped underground.

A cannon echoed. Korra's breathing steadied only a little. Had Yong died during the bombing? A second cannon fired and Korra lit the flame in her palm again. Had something killed Mako in their hole? Was she the only one alive? But he was sitting there looking up at the solid stone ceiling until he saw the flame and put it out a second time, this time telling her to hush.

There was a click and then a voice so loud they could hear it in their little hiding place.

"Ladies and gentleman, I present to you the winner of the twenty-fourth annual hunger games: From District one: Yong Arashi."


End file.
